Break the silence
by aprileagle
Summary: COMPLETE! Haruka and Michiru love each other...but have yet to break the silence. So they go on vacations together.
1. Prologue: Dancing Dolphins

I can imagine the moment

Breaking out through the silence

All the things that we both might say

And the heart it will not be denied

'Til we're both on the same damn side

All the barriers blown away 

Peter Gabriel

**Author's note:**

This is a story about Haruka and Michiru. The anime's timeline isn't important (as this is a fanfiction -'''). Haruka and Michiru have know each other for over two years and they are friends with Sailor Moon and her team. They are still looking for the talismans, but this time their quest is not as busy as it is shown in the anime.

Haruka and Michiru are in love with each other but neither of them is ready to confess her feelings.

For all those people who know Japan or are even living in it: Gomen nasai bows deeply. I don't know if Japan has such mountains as I describe them in this story. If not, please forgive me.

Disclaimer: I guess everyone knows who created Sailor Moon... The story is mine. If you want to tell me how much you liked my story -''' or how much you hated it, just write to aprileaglefreenet.de ! I will answer every letter. I promise.

The actual meaning of the song "Come talk to me" is another one, but I think the lines are suitable. I love this song very much and I think everyone knows how hard it is to talk about personal feelings.

It's never been easy to talk about love.

**Break the silence**

By April Eagle 

**prologue: dancing dolphins**

It was a hot summer day. Burning sunlight seemed to touch the earth, putting it almost on fire. Busy cars forced their ways through the big streets that divided the big city. They wriggled like snakes between the huge sky scrapers. The hot asphalt steamed, the air quivered over it.

Outside the city the noise died slightly away and green trees and wide meadows covered the ground. Small huts could be seen overall between the high trees. They fit perfectly into the image nature created right next to the industrial giant, although the park itself looked a little bit out of place. The near ocean's rushes could be heard as well as the birds' sweet singing practically everywhere. Many people strolled through the huge park at the outer ring of Tokyo. They enjoyed the nice weather, their free time or simply their pension. Young people walked next to old ones. The big city's isolation didn't exist here. People greeted each other although they didn't actually know why. Children played at the playground or hide-and-seek between the bushes. Loving mothers watched them proudly. Some dogs barked and chased excitedly after tiny sticks. Couples went along the sandy ways holding their hands.

Burning sunlight shown from a cloudless sky through the window of a small shop in the middle of the park. The huts in the park sold mainly ice cream, cold drinks and souvenirs. This shop was specialized in souvenirs for the tourists who visited Tokyo each day. Souvenirs... and if you opened you eyes and looked around patiently you could find treasures between tiny copies of the Tokyo Tower or cheap pictures of the great ocean that started right behind the "Green Oasis" as the people called this park.

Two ear rings sparkled as a young woman picked them up. She took off her sun glasses and her dark green eyes stared at the jewellery thoughtfully: sparkling jewels formed the eyes of jumping dolphins; the animal's silver skin shimmered blue and the young woman was reminded of the endless sea - and of two blue eyes she loved so much...

"They are very cute, aren't they?" The shop assistant, a young woman of almost twenty years, appeared next to her and glanced over her shoulder. Then she looked around in the small shop and frowned. "I didn't realize that we have such ear rings." She ran a steady hand through her long red hair. Such miracles happened quite often. The small shop was so inoverwieving that people often found things she didn't even know existed.

The young woman took a deep breath, then she looked up.

"I'll take them." She declared in a low voice and went over to the counter. The shop assistant followed her immediately.

"Shall I wrap them up?" she asked friendly. The young woman only nodded, so the young shop assistant took a sheet of paper and started to fight with it within the next seconds. It was too big and she had no scissors, of course. So she started to talk in order to cover her awkwardness.

"Are you from here? Or are you a tourist?" she asked politely and rolled her eyes as she heard the door bang when her younger sister entered the small shop.

"Hey, Yako. How do you do?" Another girl with red but short hair went over to the counter and grinned at the young woman. She eyed long blue jeans and the wide black shirt their customer was wearing. She whistled under her breath.

"If I had known that you would have such nice guys in your shop I..."

"Go to university and study!" replied her older sister grumpily and finally won the battle with the big paper.

"It's too hot for learning! By the way what is he buying?" wanted her curious sister to know and grinned again at the young woman who smiled back and took her sun glasses into her right hand.

"Ear rings. Dolphins with diamonds."

"O, I didn't realize that we have such ear rings. That we have ear rings at all."

"Me neither. But granny does the purchases so I wouldn't wonder too much."

"Our loving granny... I am hungry. Don't you think it's time for dinner?" The pleading expression of the smaller sister's face was so funny that the young woman giggled.

"Here you are." The shop assistant gave the small box to the customer and sighed. "Why don't you just go and cook yourself something? You're old enough!" she scolded, but her little sister didn't even listen to her. She merely followed the young woman.

"Do you have any appointments this evening?" She asked and wasn't even ashamed to talk to a stranger in such an open way. At least she didn't blush.

"Asuka!"

The young woman put on her sun glasses and the smile on her face froze. Then she left the shop without any greetings and went away.

"Asuka! You're crazy!" could be heard from the hut's open door. Obviously the older sister was scolding the younger one.

"Yako!"

"Don't you think that he's already got a nice girlfriend? What do you think for he did buy these wonderful ear rings?"

"O, then his girlfriend is lucky. She must be someone special."

The voices died away as the young woman walked deeper into the park.

_Someone special..._

The young woman thought of shinning blue eyes, of long sea green hair that felt like velvet and of a smiling face that always seemed to understand her. Of two small hands that could play the violin in a tender way that touched her heart every time she heard the soft melodies.

_Someone special. _

"Hai..."

_Michiru is indeed someone special._

Haruka sighed silently and glanced down on her watch - and knew that she was too late. Surely the others were already waiting for her; she had to hurry up.

The girl sat on the park bank. Warm wind played with her short blue hair and the white skirt she was wearing. Birds sung and the leaves of the trees around rushed like the wide ocean near Tokyo. However, she didn't notice nature's sound around her. All she saw was the thick book she held in her hands. Her blue eyes shimmered behind glasses as they followed endless lines of written words.

"He! What are you doing here so alone?" A man sat down next to her and grabbed her shoulder. The girl looked up startled and the book escaped her hands.

"Leave me in peace!" she demanded and wanted to pick up her book and leave as he held her back, forcibly.

"You remember me of my former girlfriend." He said and she could smell alcohol on him. "Are you as good as she was?" The man asked and leaned nearer.

"Get off me!" demanded the girl. This time her voice was louder, and a little bit more frightened, too.

"Hey, small one! Don't be so shy. I know you want it, too." He smiled and she could see the violence in his mad eyes. His hands hurt on her shoulders, but she wasn't strong enough to escape.

"No..." she winced as he tried to force her into a kiss. "NO!" She screamed and held up her hands protectively before her face. He brutally slapped them away and hit her.

"No..." she stammered and suddenly tears were running down her burning cheeks. The glasses landed in the grass and it cracked as the glass sprung.

"Yes!" declared the young man and grinned satisfied as he felt that she was too weak to defend herself seriously enough.

"She said no !" Two hands grabbed his dirty shirt's collar and he was spun around. He let go off the girl and found himself suddenly down in the grass next to the bank. He looked up in disbelieve and stared hatefully at a young man above. He wore sunglasses, but he could see that he was very angry. The wind played with the short blond hair, two fists were clenched.

"O, she's your girlfriend?" asked the man and searched the grass for a useful weapon. Finally he found it. The man looked from the young man above to the still weeping girl on the bank. "Why don't we just share her? She's woman enough for two men."

The young man said nothing. He just grabbed his shoulder violently and forced him to his feet. For some moments he only stared silently into the man's eyes. Then he and took a deep breath.

"Go away as long as you can." He said and let him go. When he turned toward the girl, the man grinned and raised the stone he found in the grass earlier.

"Haruka!" yelled the sobbing girl with her blue eyes wide open as he threw it toward the young man.

Haruka moaned as she felt the pain in her head and went to her knees. The world spun around, but she didn't give in her dizzy feeling. She grabbed the man's extended hand and hit him hard with her other one in the stomach.

"That was the last time that you tried such dirty tricks." She declared and hit him again. He tried to defend himself but she didn't even feel it. She was angry. Very angry. Angry at herself for being late. Ami had waited for half an hour, and she had been late. Almost too late! Haruka didn't want to think about what could have happened if she hadn't come five minutes ago...

The man tried to hit her right shoulder, but she was faster. He stumbled and fell against her upper part of the body. For some moments he could feel her breasts under her black shirt and his eyes grew wide in disbelieve. Haruka kicked him away and stepped back.

"Nani..." whispered the man and stared at Haruka with that look she hated so much. "What kind of sick persons are you?" His eyes wandered from Ami who wrapped her arms protectively around herself to Haruka who stood over him breathing hard.

He crept nearer and before Haruka could react he grabbed her shirt's collar and stared down at her in disgust.

"Don't you think it's unfair for the sweet one over there that she will never know how it is to have a man in her bed? I mean a real man not such a repulsive being like you?"

This time Haruka didn't care if she would hurt him too much. She didn't even care if she would kill him. She just hit him right into his stupid grinning face. She didn't want him to get off her now. That wasn't important any longer. She only wanted him to stop talking.

With a loud moan he went on his knees and held his broken nose. Blood ran over his dirty shirt and his angry shinning eyes glared at her silently. His face showed all the hate he felt for her – and all the disgust.

"You dyke..."

_Shut up! Just shut up!_

She didn't want to hear the words. She had never wanted to hear them.

However, she had to.

"Go home and don't ever try to hurt her. Or anyone else. Otherwise I'll kill you." Haruka turned away from him and slowly went over to Ami who just stared frightened at the bleeding man down in the grass.

"Everything okay?" asked the young car racer and picked up the broken glasses together with the thick book.

"Hai.." whispered the senshi of water and took a deep breath.

The next moment Ami sat upright.

"What about your head?" she asked alarmed and looked at the blood that covered some blond strands.

"O, it's just a scratch. Nothing to worry about." The young car racer smiled to reassure Ami. Sheepishly she ran a steady hand through her hair and made a face she quickly tried to hide her tomboyish grin.

"I am sorry that I was late." Haruka helped the girl up and picked up the bag that contained other books, of course.

Ami glanced at her because she suspected that this wasn't the only reason Haruka was apologizing, but she couldn't penetrate dark sunglasses.

"And I am sorry that I am too weak." Answered Ami guilty and squinted, because she could hardly see anything without her glasses.

"No, you're not. He was just too rude." Haruka took Ami's hand to guided her through the big park. She didn't want her stumbling over a stone or walking into a wall. "Let's go and find an optician to repair your glasses. Afterwards let's fetch Rei. Surely she's already waiting for us."

"And being totally depressed. You know her. She had wanted an ice cream all day and now we're almost an hour too late."

"She'll survive it." Declared Haruka and grinned as she thought of the young priestess. "With two chocolate ice creams she will survive almost everything."

"Hai, she's almost as greedy as Usagi."

Haruka only laughed at her statement and the sun seemed to be brighter. Everything seemed to be alright again. The man vanished and soon he wouldn't be more than a bitter memory of a long forgotten nightmare.

"Did you find something nice? Except books, I mean?"

Ami glanced at Haruka and told her once again that books were indeed nice. She tried to explain the books' summaries and why she bought them. While doing so she wondered if the Haruka's head injury hurt a lot. Because Haruka's hand guiding her was ice cold although it was a very hot summer day.

And it trembled.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	2. Chapter 1: Daily Doubts

**chapter one: daily doubts **

Haruka dried her blond hair with a white towel while she entered Michiru's bedroom. The huge window was wide open and the bright sunlight shone through it, illuminating the white carpet; soft wind played with the curtains. Michiru went on tour to Hiroshima two weeks ago. This very day she would return. Haruka glanced at her watch. In about two hours her plane would land at the airport of Tokyo.

The young car racer walked over to the door and stepped out on the balcony. For some moments she leaned silently at the balustrade and stared over to the endless ocean that started right behind the house. It was a light and big house by the sea. And it was so peaceful. In every room you could hear the waves' rushing. They were so calming. Haruka liked to listen to them. Especially since that summer when they got to know their real mission. To find the talismans and save the world.

"Two years..." whispered the young car racer and closed her eyes. She opened her arms and concentrated on the wind that played with her body. Here she could be almost free. At least she could feel how it would be if she were as fast as the wind. This feeling increased when she was on her motorbike and speeded up.

It had now been for over two years that they both searched for the talismans. Her Michiru and she. Some months ago they had met Usagi and her friends. They became good friends very quickly, but they couldn't tell them the truth about their mission. None of the friendly girls knew that they were Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus, as well. That would be a danger too great for them. Michiru and Haruka liked them too much to threatened them. They didn't want them to be hurt by their mission. It was already hard enough this way - without them being involved.

It had also been for over two years now that Haruka moved into this light house near Tokyo. She got a room upstairs and was allowed to play the black piano that stood in the middle of the music room.

_Allowed..._

Haruka leaned harder against the balustrade and sighed silently.

I am not just allowed to play the piano, to drive her Ferrari or to plunder the fridge each time I have been too busy to eat at the race track. Michiru behaves as if everything in this house is mine, as well.

Actually they never argued about material things. They had argued about them only once. When Haruka accepted her destiny as Sailor Uranus and moved into the light house by the sea she had only been an athlete. A very good one, but she didn't earn enough money to start a career as car racer. Michiru financed it. She once said that she inherited so much from her parents that she would never be able to spend it in her life, anyway.

Haruka smiled as she remembered their argument over this topic. The young violinist only declared hotly that she couldn't imagine her life without her music and that it had been expensive enough until she got famous. Michiru declared determinedly that she wouldn't let her dreams die for the mission. Yes, the mission was supposed to be the most important thing in their lives, however, the senshi of the ocean wasn't ready to give up everything. She needed a counterweight. For her it was music. For Haruka it was racing a car.

Michiru said that evening that she would be her sponsor and so they never lost a word on this topic again.

Haruka opened her eyes and watched the sun set. The water shimmered in all shades of red and orange and the first stars appeared on the sky of a darker blue. Now she was a famous car racer - the best one in Japan. She already won the Grand Prix of Japan last winter.

Michiru...

Haruka stepped again into the room and put the small box down on the table. She tried to forget the man's words this afternoon. She tried to tell herself that they weren't important. She tried to lie to herself that they didn't hurt her. However, she knew they did.

After that encounter she didn't want to give the ear rings to her young violinist anymore. But now she only put them on the table. It would be a waste to throw them away. Not after she searched all of last week for such a gift.

And now I am not even sure if it's the right thing.

Haruka sighed and went downstairs. She would have enough time to make dinner before she would fetch up Michiru from the airport. This morning she had decided to make a simple salad after her toast burned black in the toaster during breakfast preparations. She wasn't born to be a cook. Sometimes she envied Makoto her talents.

Well, after all Michiru never complains about my cooking.

Haruka went over to the kitchen and opened the fridge to glance into diverse bowls.

Sure, because she is too friendly to tell me. But her face tells everything when I confuse salt and sugar...

Then she heard the telephone answering machine's deep and steady bleep. Haruka closed the fridge and went over to the living room. There she sat down on the comfortable couch and listened to the phone.

"Hi, Ruka. There were some complications in Hiroshima and I had to take a plane earlier. It arrives at seven o'clock. Don't worry, I'll wait. Bye."

"O shit!" Haruka leaped up and stumbled over the end of the carpet as she raced into her room to take the car keys. It was already eight o'clock. That meant that Michiru was already waiting for over an hour. If she hadn't take a taxi or a bus. She had more than once been so crazy to take the bus and walk the remaining twenty miles that separated the light house from the big city. Haruka didn't want her to walk all alone along the beach. Not at dusk and especially not at night.

Haruka threw the towel on her messed bed and changed her bathrobe quickly into short blue jeans and a wide white shirt. She stumbled over a pullover that was lying innocently next to the door and took it with her. Michiru never lost a word about her room, but Haruka knew all too well that it was a mess.

_Well, I am not born to be the perfect housewife!_

The young car racer jumped into the silver Ferrari and left the garage in a hurry and screeching wheels. While she speeded up she put on her sunglasses and glanced again at her watch. Ten past eight! She speeded up a little bit more and quickly crossed the speed limit.

Two years ago everything had changed in her life, and she was sure that it had been a change to the good side. She didn't quite understand their mission and wasn't sure if she was the best choice to be the senshi of the wind. She didn't know how to save the world even if they would actually find those talismans one day. But she knew that her life was better now than it had been two years ago, because now she wasn't alone any longer. She was never really alone with Michiru by her side.

Haruka turned on the radio to listen to the news as the Ferrari flew over the asphalt next to the beach.

It has now been for over two years that I love my Michi-chan...

Ten minutes later the car reached the inner city. Normally the drive would have taken about half an hour, at least.

She sat on the plastic chair and looked out of the open window. Wind played with her long sea green hair and her eyes were shut as she listened to the music that came out of the loudspeaker. In her hands she held a black violin case tight. One suitcase stood next to her on the ground.

Busy people passed by but she didn't even notice them. She wasn't disturbed by the cries of a baby or the loud words of a couple that argued next to her. All she listened to was the soft music played by a piano. The music was there to calm down the passengers who waited for their next plane.

A smile appeared on her face as she heard the familiar steps running upstairs. Taking two steps at once. Stumbling over the last one.

Michiru opened her eyes and raised in a sudden. Haruka almost crashed into her, but she could stop her race at the last moment. She breathed hard as she took Michiru's suitcase.

"Gomen, I am late."

"Don't worry, Ruka. I am early." Michiru smiled warmly as they left the airport.

"I didn't listen to the telephone when I got home. I only noticed your call at eight when I wanted to make dinner." Haruka threw the suitcase into the boot and opened the door for Michiru.

This white dress is fantastic.

The young car racer sat down behind the steering wheel and turned the car keys.

She really looks so beautiful...

"Now it's half past eight." Counted Michiru and her blue eyes looked angrily at the young woman. "Ruka! Don't you ever stop speeding? Normally it takes half an hour from our house to Tokyo and not just ten minutes! That's irresponsible! I said that I would wait!" However, the smile an her face betrayed her. She had never been really angry with her car racer. She simply could not be.

"Please forgive me." Pleaded Haruka while she speeded up. Quickly they reached Tokyo's outskirts. "As compensation, may I invite you to an Italian restaurant I know in this neighbourhood?"

"You just don't want to cook. Admit it!" Michiru giggled as Haruka made a face.

"Are you really that crazy about my cooking?" Haruka corrected her sunglasses and observed the street behind her in the rear view mirror.

"I would never want to miss one of your dinners, Ruka. But you know that I love spaghetti, with tomato sauce and a lot of cheese." Dreamed Michiru and her smile grew wider.

Haruka turned her head and glanced the now redden face of the senshi of the ocean. The wind played with the long sea green hair that felt like velvet. Her blue eyes shimmered happily and a charming smile that laid on her rosy lips.

I love you so much.

The young car racer sighed silently, then she parked the Ferrari near the green park she had visited this afternoon with Ami and Rei. Before she had found the ear rings she had discovered a small but cosy Italian restaurant.

"Let's get in." She said and left the car.

"Delicious." smiled Michiru and ate another fork full of spaghettis. Some red spots covered her white dress and her lips were redder than normal. "That's what I needed after the food in Hiroshima. The hotel was very nice and the fans fantastic, but they certainly couldn't cook." She told Haruka more about her tour and suddenly realized that the young car racer looked a little bit sadder than normal. The young woman tried to hide it and she was very good in hiding her feelings. However, she wasn't good enough to deceive her friend.

Normally she devours her pizza so fast that she's already finished before I even ate the half of my dinner.

But now Haruka only stole some mushrooms from her pizza and played with the knife and the melted cheese.

"... and then we had to take a plane earlier. I didn't had the chance to call you on time, because everything was so confusing." She finished her story about her exciting way home, but Haruka merely nodded and picked at her food.

"You aren't very hungry, are you?"

"No. I ate a big ice cream this afternoon. If you remember I told you yesterday on the phone that I wanted to go shopping with Ami and Rei."

"And Rei wanted her chocolate ice cream, right?" asked Michiru but she felt that this wasn't the only reason why the young car racer didn't want her pizza.

"Hai." Haruka drank from her cold soda and tried hard to forget the rude man's words.

"How many books bought Ami this time?"

"Ten, I guess." Haruka smiled as Michiru started to giggle.

"I like these girls. They are so different from us. So young. So careless. So free." She sighed deeply and ate another fork full of spaghettis. "I am very glad we've met them."

"Hai."

Michiru looked intently at her car racer for some moments then she concentrated on her dinner again. Finally she decided to give Haruka some more time to think about whatever she wanted to think about. So she talked about the concerts she gave and declared why she played some songs and why she avoided others.

After they finished their meal and paid they walked slowly through the park. It was already dark, but the street lamps gave them enough light.

The leaves of the trees rushed gently and Michiru could hear the noises of the wide sea she loved so much.

"There weren't any youma attacks while I've been away?" she finally asked and glanced at Haruka. The wind plucked at the white shirt she was wearing and the young violinist could see her female outlines. Normally Haruka wore a narrow bra so that you could hardly see her breasts. Together with her short blond hair and her male behaviour most of the people who didn't know Haruka thought that she was a man. That was what Minako and Usagi first thought. And they seemed to have been really disappointed when they realized that Haruka wasn't.

However, this evening she looked female. Her hair wasn't brushed into the right position and obviously she forgot her bra.

She must have been very busy to pick me up.

Michiru smiled and took a deep breath of the fresh air.

She's always so concerned about me, although she would never admit it. Somehow cute...

"No, not a single youma to be seen these past few days. And not a single hint of the talismans, neither." Said Haruka and stared straight forward.

"You don't sound very disappointed to me."

Haruka turned her head and looked deeply into her eyes.

"No, I am not." She wanted to say some more words, but then she just waved her hand helplessly stalked on. Michiru just followed her in silence. This was a topic they had discussed for several times. Both of them didn't want to find the talismans. Okay, they would save the world with them. However, both of them were scared about the price the had to pay, because they would kill the persons who owned the talisman by stealing it out of their hearts. And none of them was sure if they were able to hurt another person. An innocent person. Or even to kill them...

For about half an hour they strolled through the park. Silently they walked side by side, each of them deep their own thoughts. It was good to have the other one next beside. So none of them was really alone.

Quietly they decided to go back to the Ferrari and drive home. It was late at night and no one knew what would happen the next day. They didn't want to be too tired, because every next day could be the last day of their mission.

"What have you done?" asked Michiru in her calm but so loving voice and forced Haruka to stop next to the silver car in the bright street lamp light. Carefully she ran her left hand through Haruka's short blond hair and could see the sore skin. The young car racer winced but didn't turn away.

"Another fight, Ruka?" she whispered. "At the race track? Did anyone doubt that you could win, because you're just a weak woman?"

Haruka swallowed hard then she shook her head.

"No, it had only been a rude guy who tried to hurt Ami. But she's okay." She hurried to explain as she saw the worried expression on the young violinist's face. "Nothing important, really."

Michiru didn't believe her, but she knew that it would be senseless to ask more questions, to press on. Haruka never told more than she wanted to. The musician was the only one she trusted. Michiru got to know about the young car racer's fears and her sad childhood. More than any other knew.

Ruka needs her time to think about it. When she finds an answer to her questions she will tell me about it. Certainly.

Michiru smiled tenderly and took Haruka's cold hands into her own.

"You've always have to act like a hero, Ruka." She declared and giggled. "As long as you don't wear tights and a red dress..."

Dark green eyes met loving blue ones.

_I love you, Michi-chan._

_Just tell me, Ruka._

Time seemed to stop. The whole world seemed to stop existing. Only the two of them were left alone in their own silent world.

Loud steps on the parking space's asphalt the magic of the moment. Haruka was finally able to turn her head away from the smaller senshi's shinning eyes. She mustered the fat man who walked over to his car that was parked next to their Ferrari. He stared at them with that look Haruka hated so much. Slowly his dark eyes observed at first Michiru and then Haruka. As he realized that they both were women he made a face that told the car racer what he thought about them, about her, as well: Disgusting!

"Let's go home." Said Haruka suddenly coldly and released Michiru's hands. She missed the soft touch immediately, but she had no longer an excuse for holding them tight.

"Sure..." whispered Michiru and watched the man driving away. Thoughtfully she observed how the wind senshi climbed into the car and turned the keys. Loudly the motor started to life. Haruka switched on the radio. She only glanced up for some seconds then she lowered her head again as Michiru sat down next to her.

"Everything okay, Ruka?" she asked quietly as the Ferrari left the parking space and turned into the road that would lead them directly home.

"Hai. I am just tired."

Michiru nodded and turned her head to look at the endless ocean. The moon shone above and its pale image was reflected in silver sparkling waves.

They drove home in total silence.

Michiru laid her violin case carefully on the table in her bedroom. She froze in motion as she saw the flowers standing in a vase in the middle of the round table. White roses. Her favourite flowers.

The young woman leaned forward and smelled at them. A tender smile appeared on her face. She loved the sweet scent that filled the air.

So Haruka actually remembers that today is a special day.

Michiru discovered the small box and unwrapped it. She opened it while she stepped on the balcony. In the soft moon light she could see the sparkling diamonds, the silvery shinning dolphins.

"They're beautiful..." whispered the young musician as she held the ear rings against the pale light and turned them over in her hands.

Today was special. Today it had been two years ago Haruka moved into the light house and since that day Michiru hadn't been alone any longer.

Well, at least no longer all alone.

Sometimes it was not easy to live with her Haruka. Michiru tried hard to understand the young car racer, but Haruka was very good in hiding her feelings behind her impenetrable mask. However, there were a few moments when Michiru saw her Haruka how she actually was. When she didn't have to fight against rude men on the race track to win her race. When she didn't search as Sailor Uranus after the talismans. When she just laughed and made jokes. Indeed Haruka could be very happy. But these moments were rare. The time was very hard for them and often enough they fought against youmas and risked the lives of innocent people. People they probably knew. They probably liked very much...

Michiru sighed then she left her room and ran along the corridor.

I am very happy that Usagi didn't own a talisman. I don't know if I would have been able to steal it and in that very moment to kill her. Because I like her. She's a good friend.

The young violinist opened the door and entered noiselessly the young car racer's room. She wanted to thank her for the gifts, but Michiru saw in the weak moonlight that the messed bed was empty. Haruka wasn't in her room anymore.

The motorbike's noise filled the night and slowly died away as it reached the street and speeded up. Michiru put a small gift on the pillow and sighed deeply. Then she walked over to the open window and looked out to the near street. She could see the small light that vanished quickly on the dark horizon.

"So you were tired, Ruka. Weren't you?" asked Michiru sadly and closed her eyes as the soft night wind played with her long hair. In her right hand she held the ear rings tightly.

Haruka always seemed to be very strong, but Michiru knew that the young car racer wasn't. They both weren't strong. Sometimes the young musician wondered if they were even strong enough to complete their brutal mission. Often it seemed so senseless to them. Was it right to sacrifice one person for the whole world? Was it their right to decide who would survive and who should die? Did they have the strength to live on after that murder?

Tears shimmered in Michiru's eyes as she opened them again. They mirrored the moon's soft light.

I will survive. As long as Ruka is with me.

But the young violinist wasn't sure if the tomboy would stay after they would have found the talismans and saved the world. Or if she'd leave her…

Michiru left the room and slowly went back to her room.

The thought that Haruka would ever leave her was almost more worrying than all the fears she survived during the battles against dozens of youmas. However, at the same time the young violinist knew that her Ruka was too independent to stay.

Michiru wiped away the tears and entered determinedly her bathroom. Long she stared at her pale reflection in the mirror and asked herself quietly how she could behave so silly. Nevertheless, she did. She could not loner deny that she needed her Ruka. Not only to fight against brutal youmas. They had been living together now for two years. Ruka had become her best friend. She could talk to her about her thoughts and her fears. Ruka was always there when she was in trouble. Michiru smiled as she remembered the young car racer stumbling into the airport this evening. She seemed to be really concerned about her. Or had she just been concerned about her partner, the senshi of the ocean? Because it would be very hard for Haruka to search for the talismans on her own.

Michiru's smile faded as she observed her pale reflection. Tears were running down her cheeks again and she couldn't fight against her desperate sobs.

Two years ago her loneliness seemed to have ended. Now she wasn't sure if she hadn't just settled into another state of loneliness. Haruka hadn't even talked to her this evening although she had felt that something important had happened during the past weeks.

I thought she trusts me.

Michiru swallowed hard and picked up her body lotion with her trembling hand.

Ruka trusts no one.

She glanced once again at her pale face that looked ugly with all the tears and the sad expression in her tired eyes.

Not even me...

Michiru threw the lotion and the mirror shattered with a loud bang. Splinters fell on the soft carpet, but the young violinist didn't care about them. She stripped her dress and stepped under the shower. She closed her eyes as she felt the hot water on her cold skin.

She didn't admit it, but she was more afraid about losing her Ruka than finding the talismans and facing her destiny. If the young car racer would leave her after the mission, she would leave a great emptiness in Michiru's life. Her loneliness would be bigger than it had been two years ago. And Michiru wasn't sure if she would be able to live with it.

Michiru took a deep breath and let herself go. Surrounded by water she was in her element. No one could hurt her. In her own world she could leave all behind. All sorrows. All problems. All fears.

However, this time it was different. This time her thoughts stayed with her. For the first time she couldn't leave them behind.

_She would never stay forever._

_Would she?_

The motorbike speeded up. Quickly it reached the speed limit and crossed it. The driving style looked dangerous as the young racer passed the road's next bend. From there you had a wonderful view over the coast. The way the young woman raced was indeed very dangerous. One mistake, one wrong motion and she would lose all control over the machine.

Haruka smiled under her helmet and kicked the accelerator a little bit harder. She loved this danger. This feeling of being completely free from this world. Here she could leave all her sorrows behind. Her fears. The destiny as Sailor Uranus she hated so much.

The wind tore violently at her motorbike and her clothes. She could feel it right on her skin under her wide shirt. It made her shiver. Yes, here she could be really free.

Haruka closed her eyes and let go of the handlebars. She opened her arms wide and enjoyed the life that ran through her body.

I am as fast as the wind.

The motorbike started to fling on the asphalt, but the young woman didn't care. She took a deep breath and even speeded up a little bit more until she reached the machine's limit.

When she was fast enough, maybe then she was able to escape the man's cruel words.

At the last moment Haruka took the handlebars and stopped the motorbike before it could crash the ground. It made a screeching sound as it skidded over the road. After a moment of silence Haruka jumped off and went over to the beach. There she sat down in the sand which was cold by now, in the middle of the night. She listened to the steady rushes of the ocean out there in the dark, lost deeply in her own thoughts.

You dyke! 

Haruka brought her hands up to her ears but she couldn't stop the rude voice inside her head. It had followed her all evening. Again she saw that hateful look the fat man gave her at the parking space as she had hold Michiru's soft hands.

Again she saw the disappointment in her best friend's face when she hadn't been willing to talk about her problems. Michiru would never understand. Would she?

She's always so understanding. She accepts my passion to drive fast cars. She isn't offended by my male behaviour. She never loses a word about the mess that I call my room. She never complains about my terrible cooking. She just listens to my problems and tries to solve them.

Haruka sighed and laid back in the sand. Her eyes shone treacherously like tears as she glanced up to the sky that was covered with thousands of stars.

"Hai, Michi-chan is very understanding..." whispered the young car racer and swallowed hard. Then she covered her face with her cold hands.

But she's surely not so understanding to accept that I love her...

For almost an hour Haruka laid there. Motionless. In silence. She thought at the young violinist who declared her that she was Sailor Uranus. That her destiny would be the search of the talismans and the saving of the world. She remembered Michiru inviting her to live in her house that was too big for one person. For the first time in her life Haruka had have her own room. She got new clothes and the wonderful silver Ferrari's keys. She got the chance to start a career as a car racer. And she got the possibility to talk to a friendly young woman who listened to her. Who comforted her after she had told her about her sad childhood, had told it to anybody for the first time after her parents died. For the first time in her life, and surely for the last time.

Michiru gave her so much...

I got a friend. My best friend. My only friend...

Michiru gave her so much. It wasn't fair to thank her by telling her how she felt about her… in an unnatural way. That she loved her as a man was supposed to love a woman. A man, not a woman.

Haruka sighed and stood up quietly. She didn't want to lose her Michiru because of these wrong feelings, and she didn't want Michiru to be treated the rude way she was by other people. By other people who realized that she wasn't a man although she looked and behaved like one.

_She's my only ray of light in this dark world_.

Slowly Haruka went back to her motorbike and sat up.

_What should I do without her?_

The young car racer turned her motorbike and speeded up again. It was a question she couldn't answer, because all answers she found were too sad.

It was about five o'clock in the morning. It was almost dawn. The horizon already changed its colour of a light blue into a warm orange; the ocean started to glimmer.

Haruka woke up and remained silently in her bed while she tried to calm down her shivering body. Sweat covered her face and she run a trembling hand though her short and wet blond hair. Her yellow pyjamas felt also sticky and she wanted to take a shower as always when she tried to ignore her nightmares.

She reached over to the table next to her bed and switched on the light. For a long time she stared at the framed picture she found on her pillow as she returned home late at night. It showed herself sitting on a small wooden pony on the playground. Michiru sat behind her and had wrapped her arms around her waist. She looked over her shoulder and laughed happily into the camera.

We both are laughing...

They went to the playground with Usagi and the others about a month ago. It was a nice day and they had a lot of fun. The outer senshi almost forgot their dangerous mission and in a moment of happiness Rei took that picture.

Haruka couldn't take her eyes off the image of a happily laughing Michiru.

_Why did she give it to me?_

She didn't find an answer on this question, too.

At that moment she heard the violin's soft music that filled dawn's cool air. The melody was very sad and full of despair. It didn't stop at the end of the song. It just settled into the next one until it changed into a thought of melody. Dark notes in a strange order.

Haruka stood up and along the corridor to the room where the moaning melody was born. Quietly she opened the door and could see Michiru on the balcony. She stood in the corner. Her face was turned toward the endless ocean, but the young car racer knew that her eyes were closed.

"Michi-chan?" she whispered as she stepped on the balcony. The melody broke and left a bitter sweet aftertaste. The young musician spun around and Haruka could see the sparkling tears rolling down pale cheeks. Michiru put her instrument carefully down on the wide balustrade and slowly walked over to the young car racer. Without saying a word she wrapped her arms around Haruka's neck and pushed her hot face into the young woman's shoulder.

First, Haruka did not react, did not know what to do. Then she heard the silent sobs; and she felt the shaking that went through the slim body.

She's too slim.

The young car racer took her small musician into her arms and rocked her gently.

She has too many problems.

"You had this nightmare, too?" she asked quietly and felt how Michiru nodded against her shoulder. Silently she sighed and looked down at the trembling young woman in her strong arms. Carefully she stroked velvet hair, let her Michiru cry it all out. Tears shimmered in Haruka eyes, as well, but she fought them back successfully. She didn't want Michiru to see her cry. She didn't want her Michi-chan to be even more concerned than she already was. One of them had to be strong. To show that live carried on. Somehow. It always did. Haruka knew that too well...

We both have too many problems...

"Our enemies found a new victim. We should be there to see if they're lucky. If this victim owns a talisman in his heart..." Whispered Haruka and could feel how Michiru's arms squeezed her tighter as if she was the only life line in the talented musician's dark life.

"Ruka..." sobbed Michiru in a strange voice and coughed. "I don't know if I am able to..." Again her body shivered and more tears rolled over her cheeks.

"Neither do I, Michi-chan, but it's our mission, as you know. Otherwise the whole world is going to end. All people will die if we don't prevent the messiah of silence to be born."

"But one life for six million lives..." cried Michiru and raised her head to look straight into Haruka's also pale face. She could see the determined expression in her dark green eyes and knew what Haruka was about to say: the same words she always said in such a discussion.

"It's our destiny to complete this mission. We aren't asked if we're able to..." Haruka swallowed hard and turned her head to stare out to the endless ocean. The sea's steady rushes seemed to call her down. Externally.

"... to kill anyone. And no one asked if it's fair enough to sacrifice one person for the rest of the world. Well, at last it's not fair for that single person. But the rest of the people will survive. Usagi and her friends will survive. Although someone else has to die for this peace."

"That's no peace!" snapped Michiru in a suddenly icy voice. Haruka looked into her pale face again and could see the angry expression there.

_She never argued after these __inevitable words before._

"Just think of this person's family. Of their parents. Of their children. Of their lover..." Deep despair shone in slowly ceasing tears. Wind ran through long sea green hair and Haruka felt how Michiru pulled her nearer to hold her tighter.

"It's better for us not to think about it." Declared Haruka unfeeling. However, both of them knew that she was not unfeeling at all.

"But..."

"It's our mission and we have to complete it. The destiny of this world depends on us. We can't let this tragedy happen." Haruka wanted to return step back into the bedroom, but Michiru held her tighter. She didn't want her car racer to let go. And Haruka knew that she didn't want to leave her young violinist, neither. They needed each other. Without the other one they would have never come this far, alive.

"Besides it doesn't mean..."

"But I would never sacrifice one person for this bloody world if that person was you!" The scream interrupted the blonde's words. Green eyes grew wide and stared in disbelieve in desperate blue ones.

How did she mean it?  
Please, don't leave me!

For some moments they stood on the balcony in silence, just watching each other. None of them dared to say a word. None of them knew _what _to say best. Finally Michiru lowered her head and leaned it against Haruka's chest. She could feel her breasts through the yellow pyjamas the young car racer preferred to wear to nightdresses. Michiru had actually never seen the senshi of the wind in a dress. Haruka already hated the costume she had to wear as Sailor Uranus and she would never voluntarily wear anything else than her blue jeans and her wide shirts.

However, it didn't matter to Michiru. She liked her tomboy, no matter what Haruka decided to wear.

"Hey, you know only a person with a pure heart owns a talisman. So you can't sacrifice me." tried Haruka to joke after some moments in stunned silence and was very glad that it was still too dark outside. Otherwise Michiru would have seen that the cool car racer had blushed deeply. She let off Michiru and finally stepped back into the bedroom.

"Better I'll care of the right invitations, so that we're able to attend the party before our enemies arrive there." She said and opened the door, but stopped as she heard the quiet voice behind her.

"R... Ruka?"

Haruka slowly turned her head and could see Michiru standing next to the untouched bed. She had protectively wrapped her arms around her slim waist. Her blue nightdress trembled in the wind that blew through the open balcony door. Or was it Michiru who trembled? Her hair fell over her shoulders and her face was hid in shadows. Unmoving she stared down at the soft carpet.

She looks so fragile...

"Hai?"

"Please..." Michiru swallowed hard and didn't look up. "Please stay for the rest of the night. I... I don't want to be alone after this horrible... nightmare..." The young violinist sighed and shook slightly her head. It was too much she asked for, especially from her independent car racer. She knew it.

Although she was prepared she had to wince as she heard the door being closed.

I am so silly to have asked!

Again Michiru sighed and suddenly froze in her thin nightdress. She knew that it was alike how much blankets she would use. She would be cold the coming hours until she had to get up. So Michiru shut her eyes and only stood there motionless. She didn't want to think about the next day. Maybe they would find one of the talismans. Maybe they would be forced to kill...

No I am not silly. I am jut so tired of this all.

Michiru's eyes flew open as she felt the soft blanket that suddenly covered her trembling body. She raised her head and looked straight into two green eyes. An expression shone in them which she'd never seen before. She couldn't explain. She couldn't define.

However, she wasn't afraid of it. On the contrary, she felt safe and secure as Haruka pulled her down on the soft bed and laid down next to her. Wordlessly she took one of Michiru's cold hands in her warm one and held it tightly.

"Are you cold?" asked the young car racer after a while they had only laid there in silence and had listened to the ocean's steady waves.

"No, not anymore. Arigato." Michiru closed her eyes and concentrated on the tender touch. Everything seemed to be less important as she settled into sleep. Yes, here she felt free. With her Ruka next by her side. No one could harm her as long as she wasn't alone.

No, I am not alone.

Michiru smiled as she entered dream's world and left all her problems behind.

Haruka squeezed the small hand gently and looked down at the senshi of the endless ocean. She didn't want to see her Michi-chan cry. She wanted to see her happy. To see her laughing all day. However, she knew she couldn't. Not as long as their mission continued.

_And afterwards?_

Haruka sighed slightly and laid her head back on the soft pillow.

_I want to love her. But she deserves a better life. She shouldn't be called bad names by old intolerant men. She should bee free and not be bound at a _sick_ person like me._

Haruka silently watched the ceiling while the sun rose. The room got brighter with every minute. Michiru next to her slept deep and tight. No more nightmares disturbed her dreams.

I don't want her to be called a dyke.

The car racer couldn't find any sleep during the rest of the night.


	3. Chapter 2: A Senshi In A Shinning Dress

**chapter two: a senshi in a shinning dress**

"D... don't look at me!"

For the first time since Michiru had known her Ruka she heard the strong wind senshi actually stammer.

"Don't be such a baby, Ruka, and come out! Now!" Impatiently the young violinist knocked against the other woman's bathroom door. "I don't want to be late at the party. And I don't want to give our enemies an advantage."

"But..."

"Don't worry, Ruka. I won't laugh." Declared Michiru determinedly and rolled her eyes. Then she put her long blue evening dress in order. Her sea green hair fell over her shoulders and surrounded a pale face. She had put on some make up, but it couldn't cover her tiredness. Two dolphins jingled as the young violinist turned her head toward the slowly opening door.

"Don't make such a fuss, Ruka. I won't get a heart attack by..." Michiru's voice died away as she observed Haruka who only clenched her fists. She wore a long narrow evening dress she bought quickly this afternoon. It glimmered golden in the setting sunlight. Michiru could not longer deny that the young car racer before her was indeed a woman. In the thin dress she could see every female outline.

She's so beautiful...

Haruka had even brushed her short blond hair in a different way. She didn't look like a tomboy anymore. Now she looked like a real lady.

"I hate this dress." grumbled Haruka, and as she raised her head Michiru saw that she even used a little bit of the make up she gave her one hour ago. Her dark green eyes shone angrily and she blushed slightly. "I feel like a complete idiot!"

"Well, sometimes you're one." Giggled Michiru and stepped closer. "But only women allowed to this party." Critically she looked at her and the young car racer had even more to blush. "Well, something is missing." A bright smile appeared on the young violinist's face and her cheeks got redder. The tiredness disappeared from her eyes as she unclasped the golden amulet she always wore around her neck. It was shaped like a tiny heart and contained pictures of her dead parents. Carefully she put the necklace around Haruka's neck who stared at her in disbelieve.

"Michiru, I... I can't take this..." stammered the young car racer and wanted to give it back. However, the young violinist only shook her head.

"They always protect me. This evening they should protect you, Ruka." Michiru looked serious at the taller woman, then she grinned again. "It should protect you from those men at the party who will be all crazy about you, you beauty."

She laughed as Haruka's face got darker.

"Oh, Michiru! You're.."

_So nice. __So lovely. So kind. So amiable. _

"I am your best friend and without me you wouldn't know what to do at this party this evening." Michiru took her handbag and went over to the front door.

Haruka watched her in silence.

Without you I wouldn't know what to do all my life.

The young car racer wanted to say something more and Michiru who felt that something changed looked up at her in attention. Silently they stood near the door and looked each other deep into the eyes. Then a honk interrupted the almost magical atmosphere.

"That will be our taxi." Haruka sighed silently and finally opened the door.

"Didn't you forget anything, Ruka?" With that smile Haruka loved so much Michiru pointed her shoes. The young car racer looked down and registered that she was still wearing her old comfortable slippers.

"I guess you should use some stilettos."

"O no! I wasn't born to be a lady." Groaned Haruka and stumbled down the steps of the entrance staircase. The taxi driver had already opened the door for them and Michiru observed how her young car racer got into the car.

"I know, Ruka." She whispered and suddenly her look was very sad. Silently she sat down next to the taller senshi on the backseat. Pensively she looked out of the window, watched the coloured ocean glittering in the sun's setting light. Tears shimmered in her blue eyes but she forced herself not to cry.

I know, Ruka.

But it doesn't matter to me.

Blue eyes looked critically at the huge painting hanging the white wall opposite. Red lines were crossed with blue lines. Yellow dots filled the free space between.

"You don't like them, do you?"

Michiru spun around and looked into Haruka's grinning face. The young car racer held a plate covered with tiny fruit pieces in her hands.

"Well, actually I don't understand why this painting is called Destiny ." She observed the painting again and shook her head.

"And I don't understand why it costs 100.000,00 Yen!" declared Haruka and ate a piece of sweet apple.

"Because it is made for idiots who think they're intelligent, because they think they can understand the artist and his work."

"I understand your works: Your endless oceans, your free dolphins, your dark forests and your endless skies." Haruka's words were intended to tease her, but as Michiru looked up she saw a very serious expression on Haruka's still grinning face.

She's the only one who understands me. The only one who...

Michiru sighed slightly then she smiled encouraged.

"Arigato. Then you must be very intelligent. I didn't realize that you have so many talents." gibed Michiru and giggled as she could see Haruka rolling her eyes.

"You would be surprised..." whispered the young car racer and offered her some fruits. Michiru only nodded and bit into a pear. Silently both of them observed the wide room.

The taxi brought them to a skyscraper in the inner city. The party took place at the huge apartment on the thirteenth floor. Well, the entire apartment was the thirteenth storey. It belonged to an old man who drew his own paintings. He was very known in the world of modern art. Michiru had known him for several years. However, they didn't like each other very well, because both of them didn't like the works of the other one.

Mr. Snyder was born and grew up in America. Two decades ago he had married a woman from Japan and moved with her to the island. His wife died during a tragic car accident and so he had been alone with his daughter ever since. Three years ago his daughter had disappeared from one day to the other. She went to school and never came home. Since this day Mr. Snyder had searched desperately for his daughter. That was the reason why he only invited women to the parties he gave to represent his new paintings. Because he hoped that one of the women would be his missing daughter.

Some musicians stood next to the door that lead out to a huge balcony where you could overlook almost all of Tokyo. It was a very big and surely it was a very expensive apartment. There were five musicians and they played Japanese Country music. It was his favourite music. Some of the guests actually liked it. But some of them were bored by it.

"It's incredible!" said Michiru quietly and watched a musician with an old violin who missed two notes in one line. She knew the music, too, but she had never heard it this terrible way.

"Don't worry. At least you don't have to dance." Replied Haruka and ate another piece of sweet apple. Her green eyes were always in motion, searching for the slightest hint that their enemies had arrived at the crime scene. Michiru could feel that the young car racer waited for a fight. That she hoped that they would find the talismans or at least got the chance to look into Mr. Snyder's heart crystal - and then go home. Michiru knew that Haruka didn't feel comfortable in the long narrow dress; the young violinist couldn't imagine that she would ever get used to this terrible attempt of the five men to make music.

"You can't dance, can you?" asked Michiru in surprise because she thought that Haruka could do everything. Well, at least she behaved as if she was able to reach every goal.

"Not as a woman." Stubbornly Haruka stared on her plate and slowly ate the rest of the sweet apple.

Michiru raised her head and observed the young car racer silently for some moments.

I'd like to dance with you.

But she didn't dare to speak it out loud.

"Hey, Ruka! Don't eat everything! I didn't have any real dinner, as well!" Michiru grabbed Haruka's hand and took the last piece of apple. She could feel how the taller woman winced as their fingers touched.

"Greed doesn't suit you." teased Haruka and laughed as the young violinist made an angry face. "Shall I take some more fruits from the huge banquet? I really don't know who should eat all this food."

"You! And then you'll be fat. A fat car racer." Now it was Michiru's turn to laugh as she saw the confused expression in two green eyes. Haruka looked down at her body.

"The pizza last evening had been too much, hadn't it?" she asked and glanced at Michiru with that look that remembered her of a little puppy. The young violinist couldn't resist her longing any longer. She raised her hand and ran it tenderly through Haruka's short blond hair. The taller woman swallowed hard, but didn't turn away.

What had begun as a kind gesture changed now into something different. Michiru's hand froze but it rested between those soft strands. Loving blue eyes looked up into startled green ones.

_I want to dance with you._

_What shall I say?_

In that very moment both of them heard the excited voices next to the banquet.

"You took the last piece of the chocolate cake. That's not fair!"

"When you're so lazy, it's your own fault! It's mine now! Hey! Give it back! Now!"

"Catch me if you can!"

"You'll regret this!"

Michiru's hand snapped back as she turned around and looked as surprised as Haruka at the four girls who stood next to the huge balcony door. A girl with two blonde pigtails and a white dress ran through the room. She held a plait with pieces of a chocolate cake in her hands. A taller girl in a red dress followed her with an angry expression on her face. Her long black hair covered her back and swirled through the air as she tried to catch the other girl.

"That's so embarrassing!" sighed another tall girl and ran a steady hand through her brown hair. She wore a dark green dress. Another girl dressed in light blue stood by her side. She didn't react because she read a book.

"Ami! You're as bad as them! Put this book away!"

"But, Mako... Tomorrow is a test in English and..."

"And you've never did a mistake in English all your life. You're the best pupil in your class. And I guess you're even better in this language than any native English in America! So put it away! Or I will be very angry with you!"

The girl bowed her head and blushed. Her redden face was surrounded by shoulder long blue hair.

"Gomen, Makoto-san." She said and the tall girl laughed.

"Don't worry. Just put it away. That's all I ask of you, Ami. Put it away, take an apple or a sandwich - they look really delicious - and enjoy yourself." Answered Makoto and rolled her eyes as she watched the other two girls still arguing over the cake.

Ami sighed helplessly and glanced around. Her light blue eyes grew wide as she recognized the two young women at the other side of the huge room. Slowly she crossed it and stood at the next moment right by Haruka's side.

"Hi." She smiled and the words she wanted to say died away as she saw Michiru's warning expression. "What are you doing here?" Ami asked instead and didn't say anything about the dresses she admired.

They must have been very expensive.

The senshi of the water didn't want to think about her dress she borrowed from her cousin.

They both look really beautiful.

She felt grey next to them but cheered up as she saw the loving smile on the young violinist's face.

"I know Mr. Snyder and wanted to take a look at his new paintings."

"It's said that he lost his daughter and now searches for her."

"That's right." Michiru nodded and marvelled about how informed Ami was. Always she seemed to know more than the others. The young violinist hoped that the girl would never be her enemy one day. Or the one who owned one of the talismans. Michiru wasn't sure if she would be able to sacrifice her...

"How sad..." Ami sighed. Then she was reminded of something important. "Haruka, how are you feeling? Do you have any headaches? My mother told me that it would have been better if we would have visited a doctor. It's not funny to be hit by a stone." Her light blue eyes observed Haruka, but she couldn't see any weakness. As ever.

"A stone?" whispered Michiru shocked.

"She didn't tell you?" Ami seemed to be really surprised.

As Michiru wanted to reply anything the others came over to them.

"I don't believe it! She ate all of the cake!" Rei glared frustrated and Usagi grinned happily. Her mouth was brown and the white dress got some brown spots, as well. Makoto managed a forced smile.

The music increased and Michiru took a deep breath. Silently she watched Haruka who stared again on her empty plate.

She didn't tell me anything about the incident. But why? I thought I am her best friend? I thought she trusts me. Doesn't she?

The young violinist swallowed hard and looked away.

Well, obviously not anymore...

Ami noticed their reactions and frowned.

"Hell, this music is driving me crazy!" declared Makoto and couldn't help but stare at Haruka. She'd never realized that the young car racer was indeed a woman. Yes, they all knew it, but actually she'd never seen her so _female_ before. The others were as puzzled as she was.

"That's a nice dress. Where did you buy it?" asked Usagi who didn't see her friend's warning looks. Instead she touched Haruka's velvet dress admiring. "It's a nice colour, and it changes with the light. It must have been very expensive? Oh, I dream of ever wearing such a nice dress." Declared Usagi and looked innocently up as Haruka automatically stepped back until the wall blocked her only escape route.

"But this dress is also nice, isn't it?" she said as the young car racer didn't reply anything. "Mamo-chan has bought it for me. It is very sad that he can't be with me this evening, but Mr. Snyder just invited girls. Well. Mamo-chan has a seminar this evening, anyway. But it would have been fantastic to have danced with him this evening." Dreamed Usagi and an honest smile appeared on her redden face.

"To this music?" whispered Makoto and made a face.

"With her talent to dance? Poor Mamoru!" answered Rei. Usagi glared at her.

"You're just jealous!"

"What? Me?"

"By the way, what are you doing here?" asked Michiru and interrupted the starting argument.

"Well..." began Usagi and stopped at Rei's warning look.

"It's for a school project about modern art."

That was an excuse everyone always accepted. Well, they couldn't tell the two friends that they were at the party because Rei had an uncanny vision. Could they?

Usagi was convinced that Haruka and Michiru were friends. But the others hesitated. So they decided not to tell them about the Sailor Team.

"But you're in different classes, aren't you?"

For the first time Haruka broke the unwritten law and asked for more information after they said the magic word school project .

"Well..."

At that very moment they heard how the class of the huge windows broke. An ugly youma entered the room. Quickly he reached the old man and tried to beat him down. The rest of the female guests screamed and escaped through the doors towards the lifts. So did the Sailor Team. Only Haruka and Michiru stayed behind.

"At last!" sighed Haruka as she raised her golden henshin.

"You couldn't await to tear your dress off your body, could you?" asked the young violinist and giggled as she took her henshin out of her handbag, as well.

Haruka turned her head and stared confused at the smaller senshi.

"You should wear a dress more often, Ruka." Whispered Michiru and blushed. Then she concentrated on the youma and raised her henshin, too.

The old man looked fearfully at the youma who came nearer. This time it was a woman who resembled a modern painting. Her head seemed to be were her right hand should be and the right hand had changed her place with her left food. A hole in her belly allowed observers to see what was behind her. Her dark eyes shone angrily and full of hate. In her left hand she held a gun with which she could pull out the heart crystal from human bodies. Mr. Snyder screamed in pain as she did.

"Look if it's a talisman, Uranus. I'll take care for this... creature." Michiru ran toward the youma who finally noticed her.

"Deep..." screamed Sailor Neptune but she couldn't finish her sentence. The power of the youma hit her all too suddenly. The young woman lost balance and was thrown out of the balcony door. She winced as she felt the pain in her body, but at least she was able to grab the balustrade before really falling down.

"Shit..." whispered Neptune as she saw the city under her. The cars looked like toys thirteen floors below. The youma left Mr. Snyder and the crystal, which now flew over his silent body in a bright light.

"Now I will kill you. At last! You have foiled all my plans! You haven't done that without any consequences!" The youma stood now at the balcony and looked down at the defenceless senshi of the wide ocean.

"Now you will regret your intervention!"

The modern art woman raised her head and Michiru automatically closed her eyes.

"EARTH SHAKING!" Haruka pulled her henshin down and observed how the planet grew bigger and hit the youma who stepped back and screamed in pain. Sailor Uranus didn't even look at the heart crystal as she ran towards the balcony. She jumped and landed hard. At the last moment she could catch her best friend's falling hands who could not longer hold on the balustrade.

"What the hell..." whispered Michiru and opened her eyes. They grew wide as she saw how the youma stood up and came toward them.

"You baka! What have you done!" screamed the senshi of the wide ocean and suddenly tears ran over her pale cheeks. "One of us must survive to complete the mission! Now you can't even defend yourself!" She didn't look down to the street that was several hundred meters below. Wind ran through her uniform and she shivered. Sailor Uranus didn't say a word. She just held her hands tighter and bit on her lower lip as she tried to lift her back to the safe balcony.

"I am too heavy!" declared Michiru and swallowed hard as she felt that there was no ground under her trembling feet. "Leave me and save yourself as we once promised. Save yourself and the world."

"Never!" declared Haruka and lifted her some inches. But it would take some more moments until Neptune would be safe and secure on the ground of the balcony. Moments they didn't have.

"Ruka, please..." demanded the smaller senshi and couldn't fight back a scream of fear as her stilettos fell down a long way.

"Shut up, Michi-chan." Yelled Uranus as the first beam of the youma hit her. The pain ran through her body and she had to use all her powers to not let go of Neptune's hand. "Don't you know that I would never leave you, you stupid..." Uranus's voice died away as the second beam hit her. Her body ached incredibly and she felt how she lost control over her trembling hands.

Don't...

"Ruka!" The scream of Neptune took away the darkness that waited for the senshi of the wind. The pain increased but she just bit on her lower lip and lifted the smaller woman some more inches. Just some seconds and she would be safe and secure. Just two seconds and...

The third beam hit Uranus and she didn't have the power to hold her anymore.

_NO!_

At that moment two hands reached for Neptune's and together they were able to lift her back to the balcony. The senshi of the wide ocean sobbed. Then she looked up and saw Sailor Jupiter who just smiled at her.

"That's been really tight." said the inner senshi simply and turned away to help her partners. However, her help wasn't needed anymore. Sailor Moon already defeated the youma with her mighty henshin and now they gave the heart crystal back to Mr. Snyder.

Sailor Neptune came hard to her feet. Slowly she walked over to the old man. Sailor Moon kneeled at his side. Blue eyes looked innocently up in a tear wet face.

"You didn't even look if it's a talisman." Whispered the senshi of the ocean stunned and shook her head. "You just let this chance go to find one talisman and to complete our mission." Sailor Neptune spun around and looked at Sailor Uranus who just stared at the balcony's ground. "What have you done? It's our mission to save the world! One of us has to survive! If we both die the whole world will die! Didn't you say that we have to make sacrifices to save this world? That every sacrifice is worth saving thousands of people!" Now Sailor Neptune was yelling at the still kneeling woman. The blue uniform was turning red and Michiru knew that Haruka was bleeding. The pain was surely almost unbearable, but the senshi of the wind still didn't look up. For the first time Michiru was really angry at her young car racer.

"You always said that everything is less important than our mission!"

"What kind of mission?" asked Sailor Mars.

"What is a talisman?" asked Sailor Mercury and looked up from her tiny computer.

"Why are you arguing?" asked Sailor Moon finally and tears were now shinning in her eyes, too.

"SHUT UP!" yelled Neptune and Uranus with one furious voice.

Slowly the senshi of the wind came on her feet and walked over to the senshi of the wide ocean.

"He didn't have a talisman." Declared Uranus with a cold voice.

"How could you be so sure? You didn't even look at it!"

Haruka just shook her head. A thin smile appeared on her dirty face.

I didn't have to. I love you too much, Michi-chan. I'd rather die with you than to live without you. Don't you know?

But she knew that the smaller woman didn't.

"Do you remember what you told me yesterday? That you couldn't sacrifice me for the mission? Gomen. I am not able to sacrifice you, neither."

Michiru raised her head and all the anger disappeared from her pale face. Tears were still shimmering in her deep blue eyes. Now she stared at the taller senshi in confusion. In disbelieve.

"Don't look at me this way!" whispered Haruka then she sighed and turned away.

What way?

Michiru watched her quietly. Even the inner senshi didn't dare to break the silence.

"Take a taxi." Said Uranus loudly as she opened the door to the lifts. "Don't wait for me. It'll be late." With those words she entered the lift and leaned against the walls. She pressed her icy hands over her hot face as the doors were shut and the lift moved downward.

I can't live this way any longer. But I can't live without her at the same time.

"Did you understand a single word?" asked Mars puzzled and went over to the still liveless old man.

"He will be okay." Said Ami and shook her head. "I've never heard anything about talismans before." She declared honestly and made a note into her computer that she would visit the library the next day to find out more about this topic.

"Why can't you tell us more? Don't you trust us, Sailor Neptune?" Sailor Moon spun around and froze as she saw the empty place where the senshi of the wide ocean had been only seconds before.

"She's gone." Whispered the future princess of Crystal Tokyo and suddenly more tears filled her eyes.

"Hey, at least they could have said Arigato . That's not too much, isn't it?" complained Sailor Jupiter,. but she was glad that she had been able to help Sailor Neptune not to fall down. Surely it would have been a deadly fall...

"Hai..." whispered Ami and went over to the open balcony door and looked out at Tokyo at night.

But she actually didn't listen to her partners.

Slowly Haruka stumbled over the old stones that covered the sandy way. Huge trees covered the peaceful place in shadows. At night it was forbidden to come to this place, but the young woman simply climbed over the wall, ignoring once again all rules. Her golden dress was now torn and she threw away her stilettos some miles ago. Her hair looked messed and her face was dirty. Her back was wet and the material pasted to it. Haruka knew that it was blood that was running down her spine, but she didn't care about it.

The young car racer fell on her knees in front of a black grave stone. She sighed deeply and looked desperately at the inscription: Gendo and Mareiko Kaioh. Michiru's parents were buried at this cemetery. They died when the young violinist had been ten years old. Michiru didn't often talk about them. But when she did her voice was full of love and her look full of sadness.

They must have been great parents.

Haruka took the amulet in her trembling hands and looked at the smiling pictures in it.

If I had had such loving parents maybe I would've never become the person I am today...

The young car racer bowed her head and fought against the tears that were burning in her eyes. Her head ached and her back made every motion to a motion in pain.

You dyke! Again she heard the voice in her head that didn't stop. Again she saw the confused look in those blue eyes she loved so much.

"Gomen..." whispered Haruka and knew at the same time that there was no mercy for her. No peace. No freedom at all...

A lightning crossed the black night sky above and thunder followed. First rain trops fell down, wetting the dry earth. They felt cold on Haruka's hot skin, but she didn't actually notice them. She just kneeled there and stared at the grave stone and remembered the teasing words of her smaller senshi.

They always protect me. This evening they should protect you, Ruka. 

Maybe they actually protected them both as they fought at the balcony with the youma. Maybe they saved their lives in the form of the inner senshi.

But they couldn't help her. They couldn't answer her questions. They couldn't solve her problems. They couldn't change her feelings.

"I... I..." stammered Haruka and closed her eyes. "I love your daughter." Whispered the young car racer and fought successfully back her tears. But she couldn't hold back a sob.

"Gomen..."

At this very moment the storm broke off.

The silver Ferrari drove through the dense rain. Big rain drops fell upon the window pane and the floodlight could hardly bring any brightness on the dark street. Slowly it was parked by a big house where four families lived. The young woman still wore her dirty blue evening dress. Her sea green hair was wet and her blue eyes shone sadly as she walked over to the entrance door and rang the bell.

"Hai?" A girl in violet pyjamas appeared at the door, looking tiredly. Her light blue eyes grew wide as she identified the young woman.

"Michiru! What are you doing here in the middle of the night? You're all wet! Come in!" Ami stepped back and guided the young woman to the flat she lived in with her mother.

"Did anything happen?" asked the girl alarmed.

"No." Michiru just shook her head and took a deep breath.

Probably not.

"My mother's still at the hospital. An emergency." Declared Ami as she disappeared in the bathroom. "Do sit down." She said to the young violinist and went over to the fridge.

"Arigato." Michiru took the towel to dry her hair and sat down at the round table in the middle of the small but comfortable kitchen.

"Do you want to drink a tea?" asked Ami and already took a box out of the cupboard.

"Hai..." Michiru sighed. "Gomen. I know that you have to go to school tomorrow. And now I am here, disturbing your holy sleep."

"Don't worry. I was still learning some vocabularies." Ami smiled warmly and put two tumblers down on the table. "Be careful. It's still very hot." She declared and looked into her friend's pale face.

"It's about Haruka, isn't it?" asked the senshi of the water after a while they had drunk their teas in silence.

"Hai..." whispered Michiru and didn't ask why Ami knew it. The girl was very intelligent. And very sensible. Maybe she read too many books and learned too much, but she was a very good friend. Michiru was glad that they have met.

"It's about the fight yesterday. Haruka didn't tell me about it, but I want to know more about it, because she's different now, and I can't understand why." Michiru stared in her tea, unable to look into the intelligent girl's innocent face.

"Well, it wasn't very pleasant. Rei was still at her seminar for young priestesses and I sat on a bank in the park. I bought some books and so I wasn't bored when Haruka came too late. She searched all day for something, but she didn't want to tell me. I don't know if she finally found it; she didn't lose any word about it."

My ear rings.

Michiru raised her head a little bit and could hear the jingle of two dancing dolphins.

"I read one of my books as suddenly a rude man appeared next to me. He tried to force me to give him a kiss and to go with him. I was too weak to defend myself and..." Ami blushed and sighed. "Well, Haruka came not a second too late. She didn't ask a lot and simply beat the man up. She told him to go away, but he picked up a stone and threw it at her. Then they started to fight again and somehow he must have noticed that Haruka's a girl. He seemed to be very surprised. He looked at me and than at Haruka." Ami closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I've never seen such a hateful look before in my life. He said that we are sick persons and that..." Ami shook her head. "He was very rude and he said some more nasty stuff and called Haruka bad names. But finally he had to see that Haruka was too strong for him and we went away." Ami opened her eyes again and they grew wide as she saw the tears in Michiru's.

Don't look at me this way! 

Haruka's quite voice was still ringing in her ears and now she thought to understand what way the young car racer had actually meant.

"Afterward we went to the optician, repaired my glasses and fetched Rei. We went into a café and ate a big chocolate ice cream. Rei told us a lot about her seminar and we laughed a lot. But..." Ami stood up and filled her tumbler again. "But Haruka seemed to be concerned about it. She tried not to show it, but for me she seemed to be a little bit quieter than normal. A little bit more serious. But it could be because Rei had been very exited and very loud this afternoon."

Michiru shivered as she remembered the fat man's hateful at the parking space. How Haruka reacted afterwards.

She let go of my hands immediately.

All night the wind senshi drove her motorbike.

And she didn't want to talk to me about her problems.

"How did the man call Ruka?"

Ami looked up for some seconds and stared silently into two concerned blue eyes.

Ruka... She always calls her this familiar way.

Then the senshi of the water stared back in her brown tea.

"He said You dyke ." Ami's voice was very silent.

Michiru knocked over her tumbler.

It was getting light when Haruka finally entered the light house by the sea. The sun rose from the endless ocean and the stars disappeared slowly one by one. The waves shimmered mysteriously in the light of the new day.

The young car racer opened the fridge and drank some gulps of milk right out of the bottle. However, it couldn't cover the nausea in her stomach. Haruka sighed and went through the living-room. She shivered as she went to her room. It stopped raining about an hour ago, but the young woman was still wet to the skin; the dirty narrow dress pasted to her shaking body. She had to sneeze as she entered her room and closed the door quietly behind her. Her head ached and her back seemed to be on fire. She felt cold and very tired.

Just a shower and then bed.

Haruka didn't notice that someone had tidied up her room. No dirty clothes laid on the carpet any more and the books were brought in order on the desk. The young woman didn't see the shadow lying on the blanket of her now tidied bed.

"Shit!" swore the young car racer under her breath as she tried to get out of the wet dress. Her back hurt and the pain pierced through her trembling body. She sat down on the chair and looked out of the window. Silently she watched the sunrise while she took a deep breath to get her feelings under control again.

"May I help you?"

Haruka spun around as she heard the soft voice behind her and winced by this thoughtless motion. Quietly she watched Michiru raising from the bed, yawning.

"I told you not to wait for me." Declared Haruka and turned to stare out of the window once more.

"I just wanted to know that you're home." Michiru stood behind the chair and opened the zipper of the dress on Haruka's back. "It was a heavy storm and I was concerned that you wouldn't return at all." Whispered the young violinist and looked sadly at the wounds. They didn't bleed anymore, but surely they did hurt a lot.

"The youma did a god job, didn't she?" asked Michiru quietly and sighed as Haruka refused to answer. Silently she went into Haruka's bathroom, took a flannel and carefully washed the dirt away from the young woman's skin. Then she bandaged the back. Haruka winced but she didn't turn away, didn't stop her.

"Are you finished now?" asked the young car racer after Michiru had packed the bandages away.

Sadly Michiru watched her taller senshi some moments.

I want to understand you, Ruka. Please, let me be part of your life and not only a partner for your mission. Talk to me Ruka!

But Michiru knew that the young car racer would never.

"Hai..."

Haruka pulled away the rest of the dress she would throw away next day. Then she pulled over a long white shirt she misused as pyjamas and climbed into her bed.

"Are you cold?" asked Michiru and wrapped her arms protectively around her belly. Motionless she stood next to the empty chair and swallowed hard.

Ruka is so different...

"No! And now get out and leave me in peace!" Haruka turned her burning face toward the wall and pulled her blanket over her head.

"I guess I would have reacted the same way you did." Michiru sighed loudly. "Don't worry about it, Mr. Snyder didn't have a talisman. And don't think too much about my reaction. I overreacted a little bit, maybe the shock of almost falling down thirteen storeys of a skyscrapers." The young violinist went over to the door and opened it. Before she left the room, she turned her head and watched the body of her wind senshi for some more moments in silence.

"I like you the way you are, Ruka." Quietly Michiru closed the door.

Haruka turned around and looked at the ceiling for the next hours while she listened to the soft violin's soft melodies.

She had to think about a lot of things.

At noon she finally settled into a deep but restless sleep.


	4. Chapter 3: Silent Waters

**chapter three: Silent waters**

"Let's go on vacation!"

"Nani?" Haruka was sitting on the couch in the living-room, listening to the sport news on TV. Surprised she raised her head to look up questioningly at Michiru. The senshi of the wide ocean sat down next to her and opened a big atlas on her lap.

"We've never been on vacation before and at the moment there's such a great weather. It's nice, warm and dry." A self-confident smile appeared on Michiru's face. "And at the moment it doesn't look like our enemies would find a new victim soon. Why don't we just use this short time of peace?"

The young car racer switched off the TV and put the remote control on the table. Then she stared at the atlas down on Michiru's knees. A part of Japan was surrounded by a big red line, obviously drawn by the smaller woman earlier.

"Vacation in the mountains?" she asked quietly as she read the names of the nearer cities within the red line.

"Why not? We can use our bikes and spend the nights in a tent. One or two weeks will do wonder." The young violinist's eyes shone enthusiastically.

Haruka watched her in silence. It was about a week that the last youma tried to get the old man's heart crystal at his party. They didn't talk about it afterward. They just kept going on with their lives. Haruka had to attend some training with her race car and Michiru took part at several small concerts in Tokyo. Everything was how it had been before the incident at the party. But somehow it had been different.

"You aren't kidding, are you?" asked the young car racer, but she also liked the idea to get out of this city and bike through nature. To leave all those problems behind. To forget their mission. Just for a few days. But these days would be enough to regain new strength. New hope.

"No..." Doubt covered the enthusiasm in Michiru's eyes. She hadn't even thought about the possibility that her best friend would refuse to go on vacation with her. She had just thought that Haruka would like her idea as much as she did.

Maybe it had been a silly idea.

"But if you don't want to go on vacation... Well, I can understand that your training is more important... and the youmas... and the talismans..."

Nothing is more important to me than you.

"No, Michi-chan. I like this idea. When do we start?" Haruka smiled warmly and was happy to see the sad expression disappearing from Michiru's face.

"Arigato, Ruka!" Before the young car racer could react, Michiru had already wrapped her arms around her waist and had squeezed her gently.

"Hey, don't strangle me!" gasped Haruka and blushed against her will.

"You would have deserved it!" teased Michiru and looked up into two green eyes. She laid half over the young car racer on the soft couch.

It's a good feeling to have her by my side.

The young violinist raised her hand and touched thoughtlessly Haruka's short blond hair and stroked it gently.

It's alike if she's male or female.

The senshi of the wind just stared at her and automatically wrapped her arms around her slim body. Then she winced.

Michiru pulled herself back immediately and blushed slightly.

"Everything okay, Ruka? How's your back?" All week she hadn't ask again about the wounds. Not that she didn't think of them. She just didn't dare to break the silence that seemed to have surrounded Haruka. And her, as well.

"I am alright, Michi-chan. Don't worry. I am strong enough to carry my rucksack. With soda, chocolate, jelly babies and waffles."

"Baahh..." Michiru made a face and Haruka had to grin.

"Hey, that's my way to make proper vacation."

"Well, I've survived worse. But I will take a torch, a pocket knife, a sleeping bag and some medicine with me." Declared the young violinist and went over to the kitchen and opened the fridge. "And some sandwiches." She said after she observed its contents.

"So I'll have the funny things and you the serious ones." Haruka sat down on the round table in the middle of the kitchen and let her legs swing back and forth. "I hope they aren't too heavy for you."

"Hey, you actually forgot how heavy soda and chocolate can be." teased Michiru and spun around. The happy smile was on her lips Haruka loved so much.

You smile too seldom, Michi-chan.

"And you forgot how strong I am!" Haruka made a sulky face which always made Michiru laugh like this time.

"My strong super hero." She joked and laughed a little bit more. Haruka watched her, smiling honestly. The sun shone through the open kitchen window and wind played with the sea green hair.

She looks like an angel.

"I thought that we could leave tomorrow early in the morning."

"Early in the morning?" Haruka mad a desperate face and tried to yawn.

"You'll survive it. I am sure." Michiru opened the fridge again and took out some bowls. "I'll make the food and you repair my bike. That's a deal, isn't it?"

"What, you didn't repair your wheel? You had this accident five months ago!" Haruka jumped off the table and observed the bowls' contents.

"Well, I have you to repair my bike, haven't I? Oh, Ruka! Don't steal! Otherwise you'll have to starve the next days."

"Not with you by my side." Haruka blushed again as Michiru raised her head at her ill-considered declaration. She took a deep breath and turned toward the door. "I'll repair your wheel." She said and left the kitchen.

Michiru watched her go, then she took a knife and started to make their food for the next days.

"Hai..." she whispered self-confidently.

Step by step.

"Good morning, Ruka!"

Haruka turned away from the exciting voice and pulled her blanket over her head.

"It's too early." She mumbled tiredly and shut her eyes tightly as someone opened her curtains and let the bright sunlight flow into the twilight of the room.

"Get up! We're going on vacation!" declared Michiru quite loudly and jumped into the bed. She grabbed the blanket and pulled it away energetically.

"Michiru!" At the next moment Haruka sat upright and fetched it back to cover her nakedness. Yesterday had been very hot and after she finished her shower she just went to bed without pulling over her white shirt. So that she wouldn't sweat so much.

If I had known that Michiru would wake me up I would have never...

"So you're awake at last. Get up, my little late riser. Breakfast's ready and I don't want to leave late after seven o'clock."

She's so beautiful...

"Seven o'clock?" whispered Haruka and yawned. "How late is it?"

"It's already six." Declared Michiru and smiled as she saw the shocked expression on Haruka's face. She stroked friendly through Haruka's wild blond hair to mess them even more and went back to the door.

"Six o'clock?" repeated the young car racer and yawned again.

"Hai." Michiru left her best friend's room and went over to the kitchen.

"You're nuts!" yelled Haruka after her and fell back on her bed. She yawned again but she smiled as she pulled away the blanket to get up and dress.

The world rushed by quickly. Tokyo, other cities, suburban areas, meadows, rice fields, trees, rivers and some small lakes flew by with high speed. Only the sun seemed to stay in the same place in an endless cloudless sky.

Michiru sat silently near the window and watched her home country. They took the train in Tokyo to get to the mountains. The big city was about two hundred miles far away from the place they wanted to spend their holidays, so they decided to take this fast means of transportation, because the route towards the mountains went through different big cities and Michiru wanted to see nature not glass, concrete and honking cars.

The train drove through a long black tunnel. Michiru squinted as they returned to the surface; the bright light of the powerful sun dazzled.

The young violinist felt a head leaning against her shoulder and looked down at a sleeping Haruka by her side. A smile appeared on Michiru's face as she watched her car racer sleeping.

It's been too early for her.

Thoughtfully she raised her left hand and stroked gently through short blond hair. It felt like velvet. Michiru loved this feeling. Haruka opened her eyes a little bit for some seconds, maybe to see who was playing with her strands. Dreamily she looked in the young violinist's face and smiled tiredly. Her warm hand took the stroking of Michiru and held it weakly tight.

"Just two more minutes." Whispered Haruka then she settled back into sleep.

She's so cute.

Michiru squeezed the hand gently, then she glanced again out of window and watched the green world out there. She was happy. It was the first time that she went on vacation since she had been ten years old. On real holidays, not on tour. For the first time she wasn't alone, because she went on vacation together with her Ruka!

The door to their compartment opened and a woman about the forties entered.

"May I sit down?"

Michiru observed her for some seconds.

Maybe she is indeed forty, however, she dresses and puts on make-up like a twenty-year old teenager.

"Hai."

The woman sat down and corrected her black skirt and her white blouse.

Surely a business woman.

Michiru watched the world for a while while the woman studied a big newspaper.

"Are you going on vacation?" asked the woman finally after she had observed quietly the two rucksacks and the couple in front of her.

"Hai. Went want to spend some days up in the mountains." Replied Michiru politely, but didn't turn her head.

"How romantic! When I was young my husband and I used to do such crazy vacation too. Now he's too ill for such adventures. Now we spend our summers in Europe."

"Interesting." Honestly Michiru just wanted the woman to shut up. She had an idea for a new song and needed her peace to make up her mind for the new melody inside her head.

For a while they just sat there in silence.

"Where are you from?"

"Tokyo." Michiru tried not to roll her eyes. It was very hard not to show her boredom.

"A nice city. And far away." The young violinist could feel how the woman looked from Haruka's sleeping face into her. "Your boyfriend seems to be very tired."

"Haruka's a late riser."

"But today he didn't sleep until midday. That's romantic." Dreamed the young woman and looked up to the ceiling. "Young love is always so romantic. When I was your age I believed that I could change the world. That I could move mountains together with my boyfriend. Now he's my husband and we didn't move anything. But we're happy together and that's all that counts, isn't it?"

Michiru looked down at Haruka and a her eyes shone sadly.

It must be fantastic to grow old with the one you love.

"Hai..." she whispered.

_Where will my Ruka be when I am forty?_

Michiru leaned her head against Haruka's and closed her eyes.

_Will I ever become so old or will I die because of a youma?_

The woman seemed to say something more but she was interrupted by the announcement of the locomotive's personal.

Michiru opened her eyes and ignored her sad thoughts. Now they went on vacation and for these few days there wouldn't be any youmas. There hadn't to be better any! No talismans and no missions would disturb their peace.

"Ruka." Whispered the young violinist and gently squeezed the warm hand.

_She feels so good!_

"Nani..." mumbled the young car racer and Michiru saw that Haruka didn't want to open her eyes and end her sleep.

"Get up, Ruka. The train arrives in about five minutes and we have to fetch our bikes."

"Then fetch them and give me these five more minutes..." Haruka's voice was still full of sleep and slightly she yawned.

"Sometimes you're terrible." Whispered Michiru but she smiled as she leaned forward and gave her young car racer a light kiss an her cheeks. Haruka's eyes flew open and she stared at her young violinist in confusion. Then she blushed slightly.

"Awake at last?" joked the young woman and stood up.

_I hope she can't hear my heart beat_.

Michiru went over to the rucksacks and took one of them in her trembling hands.

"C'mon, Ruka. I don't want to miss the stop!"

"Hai..." whispered Haruka and stretched herself to get rid of her tiredness and to calm down her suddenly exited body. For some seconds you could see the young car racer's female outlines through the wide yellow shirt she wore over her short blue jeans. Michiru saw the business woman's confused look change quickly into something worse. First she looked at Haruka and then at Michiru.

Don't look at me this way! 

The young violinist heard again Haruka's calm voice in her head.

Michiru took the second rucksack in her left hand, as well, and grabbed with her right one Haruka's. Then she left the compartment without any greetings. Suddenly she could understand Haruka's strange behaviour. However, she would never accept it.

"Is everything okay?" asked Haruka as she took her bike. She had seen the sad expression on her best friend's face and wondered why Michiru would be sad. They went on vacation. There was no reason to be sad.

"Hai." The young violinist turned her head and smiled happily.

When the train arrived at the stop they left the train.

Michiru didn't look back to see the woman watching them both in silence through the window. With a contemptuous look in her dark eyes.

The bright sun shone from an endless sky. A small river ran near the sandy way they drove along. Huge trees covered the way with shadows and cows stood on green meadows and ate their grass.

Michiru raised her head and looked up to the mountains that came nearer and nearer. Soon they would be surrounded by them.

Maybe we can climb on such a high peak. It must be a great feeling to be on top of the world...

She sighed happily and closed her eyes for some seconds to enjoy the wind playing with her long sea green hair.

Haruka turned her head and smiled slightly as she saw the happiness in Michiru's face.

She looks so beautiful. Like an angel...

Haruka sighed and concentrated again on the sandy path under her mountain bike's wheels. She wanted to tell Michiru how she felt for her. However, she didn't dare to. What if she wouldn't understand her? If she would laugh at her?

_What if I lose my one and only friend?_

They reached a fork and Haruka took the right path without looking on the map she carried in her rucksack.

"Why did you chose this direction?" asked Michiru as she reached her after some seconds. Haruka was very fast. Sometimes too fast for the young violinist. But she waited when she realized it.

"Because it leads to a mountain lake, my little mermaid."

"Great. I am already soaked with sweat." They had arrived in the small town four hours ago and since these four hours they had driven towards the mountains without a pause. Michiru would have never admitted, but she was indeed a little bit tired.

Well, I am not as well trained as Ruka.

"A bath will be fantastic."

"The water's surely very cold." Wondered Haruka, because she knew her Michiru. The young violinist was always cold. Even in the hottest summer. However, if she was in her wet element it was always perfect. Michiru never complained about the water's temperature.

"You don't have to join me." Laughed Michiru and screamed quietly as her bike jumped over a stone she hadn't seen coming. But she could react and didn't fall off the bike.

"Are you okay?" Haruka stopped her bike next to her and looked concerned at the smaller senshi.

"Don't worry." Michiru laughed and speeded up. "The last one is a lazy chicken!" she shouted laughing while she reached the next bend.

"Cheater!" Haruka followed her. She had to laugh, too.

An hour later they arrived at the small lake. It was surrounded by old trees and if you looked up to the sky you could see the top of a huge mountain. It looked as if you only had to stretch out your hand to touch it, but in reality you had to walk for a couple of hours to actually reach it.

"How peaceful." Declared Michiru as she put down her bike and stepped toward the lake until she stood with her feet in the cool water. "Nothing can be heard. No noises of the big city, no arguments of angry people. No screams of victims. No mad laughter of some youmas." Michiru opened her arms wide and closed her eyes. She felt the water on her skin and heard the rushes of the leaves around.

Haruka who covered a shadowy place near the lake with a blanket looked up and watched her young violinist silently.

"Michi-chan..."

The desire to go to her and hold her in her arms was almost irresistible. Haruka clenched her fists and stepped automatically back.

Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to go on vacation with her...

"Hai?" Michiru spun around and ran over to her. Haruka smiled and the tomboyish expression returned on her face.

"I am hungry." said the young car racer and sat down on the blanket.

"Well, maybe I can help you." Michiru kneeled down next to her and observed her rucksack's contents. "Here are some sandwiches with salad and a sausage and an apple. You've got the lemonade." She said finally. Her blue eyes shone happily as she gave the food into Haruka's suddenly ice cold hands.

"Aren't you hungry?" asked the young car racer while she unwrapped the sandwiches.

"Hai, but first I wanna swim." Michiru pulled the T-shirt she wore over her head and threw it on the blanket. Haruka coughed and her sandwich seemed to be very dry with a sudden. Then she realized that the young violinist wore a swimsuit under the short blue skirt. With a splash Michiru dove into the cool wet. The water sprayed through the air and shimmered in the bright sunlight like a rainbow. Michiru stood in the middle of the fountain and laughed happily as Haruka put up her arms protectively as Michiru tried to splash her.

The young car racer put down her sun glasses and watched her silently for a while.

_I love you so much!_

The water calmed down and Michiru started to swim silently in the small lake. Haruka sighed and laid back on the blanket after she had eaten up her sandwich. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the peace that suddenly surrounded them. So rare peace.

She dozed for a while. Then she suddenly felt some cold wet drops upon her yellow shirt and made a face. As she opened her eyes she could see Michiru's laughing face that was surrounded by sea green hairs. By wet hair. By so cold hair.

"Iiih!" Haruka sat upright in the next moment. "The water's really cold!" she declared loudly.

"But refreshing. C'mon, Ruka. Just five minutes. They'll do wonders, believe me." Michiru came nearer and Haruka watched her with horror in her deep green eyes.

"No! That's certainly too cold!" The young car racer screamed as Michiru touched her right leg with her icy hands. "You're impossible!"

"I know." A wicked grin appeared on Michiru's face as she grabbed Haruka's arm and tried to pull her toward the lake.

"No!" said Haruka again and wanted to crawl back to the blanket.

"Hey, I don't wanna have a skunk in my tent." Declared Michiru who already stood with one foot in the cool water.

"Just one tent?" asked Haruka surprised and the young violinist used the moment of hesitation and pulled the young car racer with her into the icy lake.

"Michiru!" gasped Haruka as she returned to the surface. "Do you wanna kill me!" She tried to get out of the water but Michiru was faster. Haruka could be as fast as the wind in her car, on her motorbike or during her races, but in the water the senshi of the ocean was unbeatable. Quickly she wrapped her arms around Haruka's waist from behind and held her back.

"Leaving so soon?" she teased and giggled as Haruka turned around and tried to push her head under the surface. But Michiru was again too quick. She evaded and instead of the young violinist the young car racer dove into the cool water. Haruka came back to the surface, gasping hard for breath. Michiru used these moments when the young car racer searched for her to tickle her from behind. Haruka burst out into laughter and tried to defend herself, but Michiru was stronger in her element.

"Are you ticklish, my sweet Ruka?" asked Michiru teasingly and didn't stop.

"Michi, please..." laughed Haruka helplessly.

With a sudden Michiru stopped her punishment and wrapped her arms again around Haruka's waist and held her tight. She leaned her head against her shoulder and closed her eyes.

"I like it when you laugh." whispered the senshi of the wide ocean quietly. "You laugh too seldom." For a while she just held her tight. Haruka sighed slightly, but she didn't dare to break the silence. Motionless they stood there in the cool water.

"Are you cold?" asked Michiru after a while as she felt the shaking that went through Haruka's body.

"No, this water's just too hot!" answered Haruka ironically and turned in the smaller senshi's arms to look right into Michiru's beautiful face. Automatically Michiru raised her arms and took Haruka's face in her hands. Blond hair clung wetly to a reddened face and the young car racer looked wilder than normal. The yellow shirt was wet all over and Michiru could see Haruka's breasts. The young violinist looked deeply up into dreamy green eyes.

She's a real woman.

Michiru smiled and begun to stroke the slightly blushed cheeks of the taller car racer.

But it's okay for me...

Then she saw the blue lips and the shaking that continued to run through her friend's body.

"Let's get out before you freeze to death." Declared Michiru and swam toward the small lake's rim.

"How nice!" teased Haruka and followed her.

_Hell, I am cold!_

Haruka climbed out of the water and went over to the blanket.

_And at the same time I am so hot!_

"Here..." Michiru gave her a big towel and watched her with her shinning blue eyes. "Are you angry with me?"

"No..." Haruka had to laugh at Michiru's pleading expression. Then she started to dry her hair. "But sometimes you're so overwhelming."

"I hope so." Michiru laid into the bright sun to dry her swimsuit and bit into one of the green apples she liked so much. "Shall we stay here for the night?" she asked and looked up to the sky. They spent the entire afternoon at the lake and now the sun slowly set.

"Why not? It's a nice place." Haruka swallowed as she thought that they just had one tent.

_Why did she only buy one tent?_

The young car racer searched her rucksack for some warm clothes and considered how to change without Michiru seeing it. Without herself blushing.

Well, we're both woman. It's okay for her to share it. It would be something completely different if I were a man.

Haruka glanced over to Michiru and sighed slightly. She still remembered the feeling of two arms being wrapped around her waist. The feeling of a small body being pressed against her own.

_It's nothing special to her. Is it?_

"You set up the tent." whispered Michiru tiredly and squinted in the bright sun which lost it's power in the evening light. In about an hour it would be a dark night, because dusk came faster up in the mountains than at the sea.

"And what about you?" Haruka changed quickly from her yellow shirt into a black one. Michiru turned her head and watched her in silence. A smile laid on her face.

"I will start praying that it won't break down in the middle of the night." Michiru screamed as Haruka suddenly stood over her and tickled her.

"Gomen..." she laughed happily and opened her arms with an acquiescently gesture. "I know I have deserved..." Michiru's voice died away as she saw the strange expression in Haruka's face. The young car racer stopped tickling her and her warm hands rested motionless on her hips.

I like this feeling. Being by her side.

Deep green eyes shone seriously as Haruka leaned forward. Michiru watched her silently and her smile faded slightly. She wanted to say something. Anything. But her voice didn't belong to her anymore. So she just looked into these eyes she loved so much and hoped.

_What am I doing?_

Haruka stopped two inches away from Michiru's face. She could feel her warm breath upon her skin.

"Better I'll set up the tent." The young car racer turned away and stood up in a sudden. Then she took her rucksack and pulled out the green cloth.

Michiru closed her eyes and wondered why tears burned behind her lashes.

_Why am I disappointed?_

Silence fell upon the lake. None of them dared to break it.

It was a dark night. The stars shined in black sky. The sun was gone and with her the hot of the summer. Haruka sat near the campfire. A long black pullover warmed her. Quietly she looked into the flames and wondered why she felt so sad. She was on vacation. Together with Michiru! But instead of being happy she just felt empty. And alone.

The young violinist went into the tent some hours ago. But Haruka couldn't sleep. She just sat there and watched the night in the mountains. She listened to the rushes of the trees around and the screams of some night animals that were hunting now. She tried hard to ignore the rude man's words.

After another hour Haruka sighed slightly and gave up. It was about one o'clock in the night and she didn't want to fall asleep on her bike the next morning.

Better I'll go to bed.

She erased the fire and moved quietly into the tent. Michiru laid in her sleeping bag and slept deep and tight.

Sometimes I envy her...

Haruka climbed into her sleeping bag and turned toward the tent's wall. With an angry expression on her face she shut her eyes. However, she knew that it would take another long hour until she would be able to sleep. A restless sleep full of frightening nightmares.

Michiru opened her eyes and glanced at Haruka's back for some seconds. Then she stared again at the ceiling.

_I am so cold!_

The sleeping bag could hardly warm her. But she didn't dare to ask Haruka for...

F_or what? Holding me tight? Giving me some warmth? Excluding all my fears?_

Michiru closed her eyes, but she couldn't fight back the tears that were burning behind her lashes. Silently they fell down her pale cheeks. She didn't make any sound. No sob escaped her shaking lips. One thing she had learned after her parent's sudden death: She couldn't fight back her tears, but when she was quiet no one noticed that she cried. No one would look at her with wrong pity.

It was already dawn when she finally settled into a light dreamless sleep.

Michiru stifled a yawn and stared tiredly in her soup. It was her lunch and it was still hot. But she actually didn't have hunger. Nor appetite.

The young violinist raised her head and looked around at the terrace of a small restaurant. It looked like an old farmhouse in the middle of a green valley. Maybe it used to be a farmhouse, but now it was a hostel for hungry tourists and hikers.

Michiru stared again in her soup and the nausea increased inside her stomach. It was a hot summer day and she knew that she was the only one who wore a thick pullover. The sun burned down without mercy, but at the same time Michiru was very cold.

"Hey, small one. Are you here all alone?" asked a male voice and a young man sat down on the chair next to her. Curiously he looked at her and Michiru sighed slightly. "The mountains can be very dangerous for such a beautiful woman like you."

"Don't worry, super hero. I've got my own protector." Replied the young violinist and pointed over to Haruka who balanced her soda while she tried to put the change back into the pockets of her short jeans. When Michiru woke up in the morning Haruka had already left the tent and made breakfast. They talked about different things and slowly they got so familiar they had been the last day. They packed the tent and carried on with their tour. Haruka was as funny as ever and Michiru tried to be as happy as she had been yesterday. But at the same time something had changed.

We didn't talk about what happened last evening.

"Oh... well..." The young man seemed to be disappointed as he watched the young car racer coming toward the table. "Then I wish you a nice day, young lady. Goodbye." He said quietly and went away.

"Bye..." whispered Michiru and stared again at her lunch.

Haruka observed the young man who talked to her young violinist. Finally he stood up and came to her direction. He didn't stop as they passed by but the young woman believed to hear some sad words:

"You lucky one."

Then the man was gone. Haruka turned her head but she couldn't see him anymore. So she thudded on her chair and ate her dinner. After a while when her hunger was more bearable she realized that Michiru hadn't eaten anything.

"Do you want to hypnotize your soup?" she asked teasingly and drank half of her soda.

"It just doesn't taste." Declared Michiru but didn't look up.

"Do you want anything else?"

"No."

Silence evolved between them. Haruka finished her meal and watched quietly two small girls playing at the playground with a huge ball.

"Who was the young man you were talking to?" asked the young car racer after a while and made a face as one of the girls stumbled and fell hard on the grassy ground. Immediately she started to cry.

Michiru put the spoon into the soup and shivered slightly as the wind played with her long sea green hair.

_Are you jealous, Ruka?_

But she didn't dare to say it aloud.

"No one important." She replied instead and stood up. "Let's go."

Haruka watched her young violinist walking over to the bikes and taking her rucksack.

"Hai..." she whispered and followed her.

The entire day they drove through the mountains. They went up to different viewpoints and climbed over some rocks to have a better look over the valley. Michiru took several photos and after a while they forgot that they had been angry about each other. It was such a wonderful day and nature did its best to make it fantastic.

Slowly the day ended and the sun started to set.

"Hey, this is a nice place, isn't it?" asked Michiru and shivered again. She was still very cold and she could hardly drive her bike. She had reached the edge of her powers, but she didn't dare to tell that to the young car racer. She didn't want to look weak beside the strong senshi of the wind.

"Ruka?" Michiru coughed and the world began to spin around. Her head ached more with every minute and her whole body started to tremble.

"Just until the next valley. Please. It's still bright enough, don't you think?" Michiru could hear her best friend's excited voice. She raised her head and the dizziness increased. She could see Haruka far away at the next bend.

"Hai..." she whispered. Then she lost control over her bike. She didn't see the rock that was on the way, blocking half of it. Her trembling hands couldn't hold the handlebars any longer. Michiru wanted to scream but she wasn't able to. She only fell down on the stony ground. Pain pierced through her right leg and somewhere next to her she could hear how her bike crashed down on the stone.

"Shit..." she coughed again and wanted to stand up. But her rucksack was too heavy with a sudden. So she closed her burning eyes and waited for some moments. Surely she would be able to stand up when the pain decreased a little bit. When the dizziness would be gone.

She could hear the noises of another bike and hoped that no one would drive over her. It was already twilight and she didn't wear bright clothes.

"Michi-chan?" A concerned voice next to her let her open her eyes. She looked into two green ones that were very concerned. "What happened?" Haruka tried to help her up but she couldn't stand on her right leg. The whole world spun around and she thought that her head was going to explode.

"Michi!" Haruka yelled and held the young woman tighter as she seemed to faint.

"Everything's fine. Just one moments rest..." whispered the senshi of the wide ocean and coughed again. She leaned her head against Haruka's shoulder and closed her burning eyes again. "I am just so tired..." admitted the smaller woman and shivered visibly.

Haruka helped her to get out of the rucksack's clutches and it landed somewhere on the rocky ground. Carefully Haruka took Michiru's face in her hands and could feel the heat burning under the skin.

"You've got a fever." She declared with a strange tone in her voice. Cautiously she sat Michiru on the stone and stroked sweaty hairs out of a hot forehead. "Why didn't you tell me that you're feeling ill?" Haruka asked quietly and started to stroke Michiru's red cheeks. The smaller senshi opened her eyes as she felt that those strong hands trembled.

"I don't... don't want to be.. too... too weak..." she stammered and looked up into Haruka's suddenly pale face. Green eyes stared for some moments deep into two feverish shimmering ones.

"You're never weak, Michi-chan. You're the strongest woman I know." She whispered calmly. Then she went to her bike and studied the map in the twilight.

"We passed a hotel some miles ago. I guess they'll have a doctor and a warm bath for you." Haruka sighed slightly then she returned to the sitting woman. "Are you able to walk?" she asked and looked doubtfully at the bloodstained knee.

"Hai..." Michiru came hard on her feet and stumbled along the stony way. "Gomen..."

Haruka took the two rucksacks and the two bikes. Quietly she went by Michiru's side and scolded herself for having been so blind.

_She didn't eat anything all day!_

"You don't have to apologize. Even strong women are weak time by time." She said after a while they had walked slowly toward the valley they had left half an hour before.

_Why didn't she just tell me? Doesn't she trust me anymore?_

"Believe me, I know what I am talking about."

Michiru looked up from the stony underground and nodded in understanding.

"But..."

"The doctor told you that you need to rest and I won't let you stay the night in our tent where you would be cold. The ground is too hard for your knee and I don't wanna be responsible for you catching a real flu!"

Michiru gave up. Haruka wanted to stay in a hotel for the night and so she couldn't say anything against it.

_Ruka can be so stubborn!_

She coughed and shivered again. The doctor bandaged her knee and it would be okay the next day. If she took her medicine and slept well they could carry on with their tour the next day. Or the day after tomorrow. The young violinist stumbled slightly as she followed the young car racer toward the reception.

"Are there any rooms to rent?" Haruka asked a young woman who smiled friendly at her. Michiru rolled her eyes and coughed again.

_Please, don't flirt now! _

Haruka returned the smile but as Michiru looked closer she could see that the green eyes were empty. Somehow numb...

"Of course. We don't have a special holiday and it's in the middle of the week. What do you want?" The young woman looked in her computer and typed in some dates.

"A double room for one or two nights." Declared the young car racer and swallowed.

"Room number twenty. It's right over there. Just use the lift." The young woman gave the keys in Haruka's hands and the flirtatious smile grew wider.

_Ugly teeth!_

Michiru coughed again and wondered why she didn't like the young woman.

Maybe I am just too tired.

"I hope you'll enjoy your stay in our hotel."

Haruka merely nodded and turned toward Michiru. Now the green eyes weren't empty. Suddenly they were full of concern and other feelings the young violinist couldn't define.

"Let's go and get you to bed." Haruka carefully took Michiru's hand and guided her toward the lift. Silently they reached the first floor and entered their room. It was quite a big room for a hotel in the middle of the mountains with a bed big enough for the both of them to sleep in comfortably. A table and three chairs were next to a big window. A small door lead to a clean bathroom.

"The last time I felt so ill was on my parent's funeral." Whispered Michiru and sat down on the soft mattress. She covered her burning face with her icy hands.

"Do you want to take a shower?" asked Haruka while she observed the small bathroom. "Do you want anything else? Something to eat or...?"

"Just my medicine..." mumbled Michiru, but the idea of nice warm water pouring down her skin was tempting. "Maybe a shower would be fine." Slowly she stripped her pullover and rose. Her legs trembled and could hardly support her weak body. Then she stripped her shoes, her socks and her T-shirt. She then entered the bathroom in underwear. Haruka who had already turned on the shower and controlled the temperature blushed as she saw her.

"Do you think you're able to take a shower?" asked the senshi of the wind concerned. "I don't want you to slip on the wet ground."

"You can join me if you want." whispered Michiru and coughed. Again the whole world seemed to spin around but she ignored the feeling. She stripped her underwear and stepped under the warm water. Michiru closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of being in her element. The dizziness increased and she coughed again and again until tears were running down her still wet cheeks. She searched for hold at the wall but all she could find were cold flagstones. She winced as the pain went through her right leg as her trembling body gave up. Slowly she went on her knees and had to cough again. The water fell down on her and suddenly she couldn't breathe anymore. The water seemed to surround her and she feared to drown.

"Michi-chan!" She could hear the concern in Haruka's voice. The warm waterfall was stopped immediately. A soft towel was wrapped around her trembling body and strong arms helped her up. Michiru raised her head and looked into a pale face. Nothing there reminded her of the always joking tomboy. Now Haruka's face was pale and her green eyes full of concern and...

_Love?_

"You're driving me crazy." Haruka scolded but her voice broke.

"Not more than you are." Replied Michiru and coughed again. Haruka stared at her for some seconds and obviously wanted to say something. Then she decided to be silent. Quietly she dried the smaller senshi and covered her nakedness with another soft towel. Carefully she carried her best friend to the bed and sat her down on the soft mattress.

"Did you bring any nightdress with you or do you want a simple T-shirt?" asked Haruka while Michiru leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. Her face was red from the fever and her body was still trembling.

"A dress. In my rucksack..." whispered the young violinist and coughed again. It sounded really ill.

I can't remember the last time I had been really ill.

Well, at least the doctor had declared that she just had a little cold and not a dangerous flu. She didn't want to cancel their vacation. She didn't want their free days to end like this.

"You call this a nightdress?" Haruka stared at disbelieve at the light blue negligée.

"What would you call it?" asked Michiru and her voice was a little bit angry as she grabbed the thin cloth and pulled it over her trembling body.

Tempting...

Haruka swallowed hard and turned away to study the medicine the doctor gave them.

"Uncomfortable." She said instead aloud. Michiru just coughed again.

"Well, you don't have to wear it, do you?" she said and sighed loudly. Then she took the medicine and crept under the soft blanket. Haruka switched off the light and went over to the bathroom.

"Sleep tight, Michi-chan." She whispered in the darkness and closed the door quietly behind her.

"Sure..." Michiru coughed again and looked at the room's ceiling. Tears were burning in her feverish shinning eyes and her head seemed to explode. The world still spun around and she felt as weak and helpless as she had never felt before. So totally alone.

The young violinist heard the shower's noises. Haruka seemed to take an eternity for her shower and after what surely had been a century the wind senshi left the bathroom again.

_Were will she sleep?_

Michiru didn't dare to hope that they would share this bed. The young violinist closed her burning eyes and shivered again. Her legs were ice cold and even the soft blanket couldn't warm her. She heard how Haruka crossed the room and took something out or into her rucksack.

_Her sleeping bag?_

"Michi-chan?" she suddenly heard the calm voice somewhere far away.

"Hai?" answered the young woman and coughed again. The roundabout she seemed to sit in increased its speed and she wondered why she didn't fell out of it.

"Are you cold?"

"Hai..." Some tears fell down Michiru's cheeks and she shivered again. She felt how Haruka crept under the blanket and took her into her strong arms. The body of the young car racer felt so wonderfully warm! Michiru pulled herself a little bit closer and leaned her head against Haruka's shoulder. She could feel the breasts under the shirt Haruka misused as her nightdress. Slowly the young car racer put her legs between Michiru's and warmed them.

She feels so soft.

"Better now?" asked Haruka with a strange tone in her voice Michiru had never heard before. Carefully the senshi of the wind wiped away the tears from the smaller woman's burning face.

"Hai." Answered Michiru and coughed again. The roundabout was still turning around, but the cold left her body slowly.

"Gomen, Michi-chan. I didn't notice that you were feeling ill." Automatically Haruka begun to stroke the velvet sea green hairs. Michiru looked up for some seconds. But she couldn't see Haruka's face in the darkness. So she shut her eyes and enjoyed the feeling.

"Why didn't you tell me last night that you were cold?" asked the young car racer. Her hand left her hair and slipped under the thin nightdress. Tenderly she caressed the soft skin of Michiru's back.

"One sleeping bag is too narrow for two, isn't it?" Michiru yawned and felt how the medicine did it's job. Slightly she settled into sleep.

"Hai... but..." Haruka sighed silently and leaned her head against Michiru's. For a long time she didn't say anything. She just listened to her best friend's regular breaths and thought about the last two years. How this woman in her arms had changed her entire life.

"Michi-chan?"

Michiru heard the shaky voice. She wanted to reply something, but she was too tired to mumble or even to open her eyes. It was so warm and comfortable with her Ruka by her side. Sleep had almost caught her. Michiru felt how Haruka moved slightly but didn't leave.

Maybe she's looking for a better position.

At the next moment Michiru felt soft warm lips upon her own. It was a tender touch. The light kiss lasted for a few seconds. Then Haruka laid back on her pillow and her arms squeezed the smaller senshi gently.

"Night, love." She whispered with a quiet sob in her voice.

She won't be my future but at least I'll have this kiss to remember. Even if she doesn't remember it...

Michiru wanted to reply that she liked that kiss. That she wanted another one. But she was too tired. She heard Haruka's silent sobs and felt the strong heart beat next to her.

Everything will be fine.

Michiru settled into a deep and peaceful sleep.

Now that I know that you love me, Ruka.

A smile appeared on her face while she started to dream. A wonderful dream about a wonderful future she would be able to live.


	5. Chapter 4: Do You Love Me

**chapter four: do you love me?**

Slowly Michiru woke up. The first thing she noticed was the smell of fresh coffee and warm rolls. Her lips curved in a smile and she blinked into the bright sun. She stifled a yawn and turned her head. She could see Haruka sitting on a chair next to the open window. Thoughtfully the blonde studied a crumbled map on her lap. The young woman already wore her short blue jeans and her wide black shirt. Her short blond hair had been brushed into the right position. However, the wind played with some wild strands messing up them slightly. Automatically she stroked them back behind her ears. Sunlight was softly reflected in her dark green eyes. She didn't wear her sunglasses as she normally did. Her cheeks were redden but Michiru could see that the skin was too pale for her being on vacations, being exposed to the sun all day. Dark shadows were under her eyes and the young violinist suddenly asked herself if she hadn't gotten enough sleep.

Michiru's eyes grew wide as she remembered the last night. Or had it been a dream? A wonderful dream of a wonderful kiss?

The young violinist raised her right hand and touched her lips.

_It hadn't been just a feverish illusion, had it?_

At that moment Haruka looked up. A smile appeared on her face and suddenly nothing reminded Michiru of the weakness she had seen there only one moment before.

"Good morning, Michi-chan. Awake at last?" Haruka put away the map and came over to the bed. "How are you feeling?" she asked with concern in her voice.

"Fantastic." Answered Michiru and sat up. But she had to cough again. "Maybe not that fantastic. But at least better." She smiled back and looked over to the set table.

"Breakfast?" Michiru asked and stood up slowly. She had to limp a little bit. Her right knee still hurt but she could bear it. She hadn't felt like eating all yesterday and now she was really hungry.

"Dinner. It's half past twelve." Haruka put a bathrobe around her shoulders and leaded the smaller senshi toward a chair.

"And you didn't use to chance to sleep all day?" teased Michiru and observed the marmalade. Haruka didn't reply that she couldn't find any sleep last night. At dawn she left the bed and took a long shower. Then she sat down on the chair and waited for Michiru to wake up. She watched the smaller woman in silence. For hours. Thinking...

"I studied our map. Maybe we can go to the peak of the mountain over there. It's called..." Haruka looked at the crumbled map and tried hard to read the tiny letters. "Well, however, the map says that it's got a fantastic view over the valley. The way it not too long, maybe two hours. And it's not so steep. What 'cha think?"

Michiru made a face as she took her medicine.

"Why don't we carry on with our tour?" The young violinist covered her roll with a thick layer of marmalade. Her stomach growled in anticipation.

Haruka observed her for some moments in silence, then she simply shook her head.

"Not until you're recovered. It don't want you to fall off your bike again. A hot bath and another night in a soft bed will be better than swimming in cold melt water in a lake and a night in a sleeping bag on the hard ground." She declared determinedly and took her coffee into her hands. She stared for some seconds into the black fluid. As she raised her head again a tomboyish expression was on her face. "Besides I've already read the menu and can't wait to try the farmer salad they offer." Her lips curved in a joking smile. "And they have spaghetti, too. With tomato sauce."

"Okay, you won." Giggled Michiru and ate her roll.

_I've been really hungry!_

"Then let's hurry up!" said the senshi of the wide ocean and took another roll. Haruka stood up and went quietly over to the open window to looked out to the nature that surrounded the small hotel

"You don't have to hurry, Michi-chan. The mountains will wait. We have plenty of time. Here aren't any youmas or victims. Nor talismans. Just enjoy your free time, Michi-chan." Haruka didn't turn around.

Michiru looked up but she could only see the young car racer's shadow against the bright sunlight. Since they had met two years ago they had never had some days off. Her concerts and Haruka's races at the Grand Prix of Japan weren't really what you'd call leisure time. Once a youma had interrupted her concert and tried to steal the heart crystal of the orchestra's conductor where she played the first violin this evening. And on the race track a youma wanted to steal the heart crystal of one of the mechanics in Haruka's team. But here in the mountain they seemed to be almost free. Independent.

"Hai." Whispered the smaller senshi and covered another roll with marmalade. "Guess, you're right."

Haruka only watched the trees and the mountain peak and sighed slightly as she heard the calm voice of the younger woman.

I just wish I could talk to you. Honestly.

The young car racer clenched her fists and stayed silent.

But I am not as strong as you may think.

It was late in the afternoon as they reached the mountain's top. From there they could overlook all of the valley and the next one on the other side of the mountain. Wide behind the mountains at the edge of the horizon you could see the shimmer of the endless ocean that surrounded the huge isles of Japan.

"It's wonderful here!" sighed Michiru happily and winced as she stumbled over a small stone. Haruka who didn't run as always was at the next moment at her side.

"Everything okay?" asked the young car racer and looked concerned at her best friend.

"Don't worry." Michiru laughed luckily and limped over to the flag that stood in the middle of a platform. It crackled quietly in the steady but warm wind. Michiru closed her eyes and spread her arms. The winds played with her long white dress and with her long curly hair. A happy smile appeared on her face, her cheeks were redden.

"You were right, Ruka. We should forget all our problems." Said Michiru as she opened her eyes again. "I just wish I could have taken my violin with me."

"Then it would be broken and you would be sad all the time. No, thanks." Haruka shrugged her shoulders and glanced over to the railing that was only some inches away. It was there to protect the tourists not to fall from the peak's platform.

Michiru only smiled at her and sat down on a bank next to the flag. She closed her eyes again and concentrated on the soft melody that evolved in her mind. The wind played with the leaves of the near trees and the rushes remembered the young violinist of the endless ocean she loved so much. Thoughtfully she rocked herself in a rhythm only she could her. Slowly she entered her own world made by music. Leaving all her problems, all her fears behind. Leaving reality behind.

Leaving her Ruka behind.

The young car racer watched her Michiru for some moments in silence, then she turned away with a sigh and leaned herself against the railing. She knew that expression on the smaller woman's face. But she couldn't quite explain why she always felt so jealous when Michiru only thought of her music.

So alone...

"This had been a very nice day." Heard Haruka a young woman's voice. She turned her head a little bit and could see a couple walking over to the other corner of the platform.

"Hai." answered the young man and wrapped his arms around her slim waist. For a long time they only stood there and watched nature or whatever they seemed to see.

"I love you." Declared the young woman finally quietly.

"I love you too, sweetheart." The young man lowered his head and kissed her gently. The kiss lasted very long. Finally they walked away. Hand in hand. Their fingers entwined.

Haruka swallowed hard and her trembling legs could not longer hold her weight. She just went on her knees and stared into nothing.

_I will never experience such deep love._

_Won't I?_

Haruka wanted to go over to her Michiru to tell her about her strange feelings. However, she couldn't move. She couldn't say a word. She actually couldn't break the silence.

Michiru sat silently on the bank. A smile appeared on her face. Her eyes were still closed. She rocked gently to the music only she could hear. To a tender melody that evolved slowly in her mind. That she would never forget, because it was different to all the songs she had written before.

Suddenly she could understand all the love songs of those great musicians. The feelings that stood behind every single note.

The smaller senshi sighed happily while she stepped deeper into her own world of music, dreaming of a better future. Hoping for a life in peace.

"Fish and noodles?" asked Haruka and looked critically at the Michiru's plate, then at the smaller senshi who was eating her dinner with enthusiasm.

"Well, I couldn't decide so I took both." Said Michiru simply and giggled as she saw the expression on the taller woman's face. "Don't worry, Ruka. You don't have to eat it. Just eat your farmer salad before the snails will run away."

Haruka thanked the waitress who brought her a cooled soda. Then she leaned back on her chair and observed the other guests on the big terrace of the hotel were they would stay for the next day. Michiru ate her meal with a lot of appetite. She looked a lot healthier than the evening before.

The day of rest was very good for her.

The young car racer picked with her fork in her salad and didn't want to think of the next night.

This night I won't have a reason to sleep next to her in the huge bed. To hold her tight.

Maybe she would never have any reason again.

Haruka sighed and watched how some musicians entered a small stage. They took seat and started to play. It were soft melodies they played. Waltz as Haruka remembered right. Soon the soft melody filled the air and the first couples danced. The music was quiet enough to eat but at the same time it created a romantic atmosphere. The sun set slowly and soon soft twilight covered the valley.

"They certainly can play." Decided Michiru after a while and tapped her left foot to the rhythm. Then she stood up with a sudden and reached for Haruka's hand.

"Let's dance!"

"Nani?" Haruka looked up in surprise and shook her head in disbelieve. "You know I can't dance."

"Some days before you told me something different." Michiru just grabbed the blonde's hand and noticed that it was very cold. "Don't worry about me knee. I am feeling fine." She glanced at Haruka with a pleading expression on her beautiful face and pulled her gently towards the dance floor. "Pleeaasseeeeee!" Michiru winked and made a pout. As always she got her young car racer with that begging look.

"All right." Sighed Haruka and took the smaller senshi in her strong arms and rocked her between the other couples to the soft music. "But you've been warned."

"Hai..." replied Michiru thoughtfully.

Quietly they danced. The world seemed to end. Nothing existed but them. And the sweet melody of a waltz that surrounded them. The two outer senshi just danced as if they had never done anything else. As if they were meant to be together. They steps fitted together and not once they stumbled. Like wild wind that seemed to play with the steady waves of an endless sea.

Time didn't play a role anymore. It stopped some seconds ago. Or had it been hours? Or years? Or even centuries? The other people faded and as longer they danced they forgot them. Tenderly they held each other tight. Finally they could leave their problems behind.

For those moments that seemed to last for eternity there were no more borders anymore. No more fears. No more doubts.

Michiru looked up at the slightly blushed face of her Haruka.

Here we can talk about everything. In my world of music.

The young violinist raised her right hand and touched the soft skin of Haruka's hot cheek.

_It's _our_ world now. Here we can do whatever we want to do._

Here we can even break the silence...

"Ruka...?"

Hell, I love you so much.

"Hai?" she whispered with a low voice.

_Hell, I don't want to hurt you! _

The young car racer blinked. She hadn't even noticed that they had stopped dancing. They only stood between the still moving couples and looked each other deeply into the eyes.

At that moment the music died away and the mystical spell was broken. The other couples turned toward the musicians and applauded loudly. The ocean dried immediately and the wind was gone one second later.

"Ruka, I wanted to talk to you about last night. I didn't sleep and..."

Haruka's eyes grew wide with panic as she realized that Michiru knew about the kiss. She shook her head in disbelieve. Then she turned away and ran as fast as she could. Quickly she left the terrace and disappeared between the trees around the small hotel.

She didn't even notice that Michiru looked at her with yearning in her eyes. With yearning - and not with disgust.

"Ruka, you're such a jerk!" she sighed and paid the now cold food. Then she followed her young car racer.

"And I've been such a jerk, too. For such a long time..."

Haruka raced along the stony way as if bloodhounds were hunting her. She jumped over roots and took two steps at once as she climbed the old staircase that leaded up to the platform she had been with her Michiru.

Michi-chan...

The young car racer gasped hard for breath as she walked slowly over the stony underground. The sun set and set the endless sky on fire. The air shimmered and bathed the peaks of the other mountains around in a golden light.

Haruka sat down on the place she had kneeled some hours ago. Watching a happy couple. Knowing that their happiness would never be hers.

Quietly she stared at the burning sky and forced herself not think about the future. What should she do now?

You dyke! she winced as she heard again and again the rude voice in her mind.

I can't go back like that.

Haruka sighed and thought of her Michiru standing in the small lake, laughing happily. Of the way the sea senshi woke her up when the train arrived the small village. Of the way she had cared for her after she had returned late that night from the party. Hurt and in pain. Michiru never asked a lot. She seemed to understand her.

She had declared desperately that she would never sacrifice me for this bloody mission...

Haruka closed her eyes and bowed her head while she clenched her fists.

For the last two years I hadn't felt so lonely...

"Ruka?"

The young car racer looked up in surprise as she heard slow footsteps. They stopped next to her.

"Hell, you're really fast. I've almost forgotten during the last afternoon." Said Michiru and ran a steady hand through her sea green hair while she watched the sun set.

"It's romantic here, isn't it?" she asked after a while and a smile bloomed on her face. Haruka didn't reply anything. She simply didn't know what. So she kept silent and stared asking at the young violinist. Finally Michiru took a deep breath and turned toward the sitting woman.

"Do you love me?" Her voice was soft and clear. Haruka raised her head and swallowed hard. Then she saw the look in Michiru's deep blue eyes. Saw all the tender feelings she felt for her.

All the unconditional love...

Haruka wanted to say something, anything but her voice broke. She watched Michiru carefully going on her knees and making a face as she felt the sore skin. Then the smaller senshi wrapped her arms around Haruka's waist and pulled her closer.

"Do you love me?" repeated the young violinist and her lips curved in a tender smile.

Haruka couldn't do anything else than nodding.

"Then everything's alright. 'Cause I love you too, Ruka." Michiru leaned forward and kissed her strong senshi of the wild wind.

Again the world seemed to end. Everything became less important. Now only they were left. As the only survivors of a heavy storm. Shipwrecked on a abandoned isle. Where no youmas existed. No talismans.

No fears...

You dyke! 

Haruka's closed eyes flew open and she interrupted the tender kiss immediately.

"We can't do this." She said trembling.

"Why not? Didn't you like it?" Michiru grinned and tried to kiss her again but Haruka held her back. She couldn't break her protecting walls as fast as her best friend. Michiru only needed a reply to her strong feelings. Haruka needed more.

"Hai, but..." The young car racer sighed and looked finally up to the endless sky above. "But I am a girl."

"Oh, I didn't realize." teased Michiru and touched with her right hand Haruka's T-shirt. "And I thought that was only my imagination."

Haruka winced but she didn't turn away.

You jerk! That's all you ever wanted! That Michiru would love you! And now you're running away. As always...

You dyke! 

"I..." The young car racer looked into Michiru's still smiling face and automatically raised her hand to touch it.

_She feels so good. So _right

"I... I love you, too." Whispered Haruka finally. She had never thought that it would be so hard to say these few word. And at the same time so easy. "But..."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" wanted Michiru to know while she openly enjoyed the blonde's soft touches. "All this time I thought you were just looking for a good friend."

Haruka blushed deeply as the smaller hand of Michiru slipped under her wide black shirt and caressed her skin. Immediately she started to shiver although it was very warm at the end of a hot summer's day.

The young car racer couldn't stifle a groan and closed her eyes to concentrate on the tender touch. Of feelings she never felt before. She thought she would never experience.

_This must be a dream..._

_Please, don't let me ever wake up again!_

"I've always wanted you to be so much more for me, Ruka. But you've been always so reserved. You looked so strong that I thought you wouldn't need me. You were so independent. I thought you would never stay after the mission." Michiru smiled as she saw the reactions of the her taller senshi. "I had been scared of what you would think when I'd told you that I want you to be my girlfriend."

Haruka opened her eyes. Then she took the smaller senshi carefully in her suddenly trembling arms and held her tight for a long while. She could feel how Michiru returned her embrace.

_I love you. I love you. I love you._

_I love you so much!_

_But..._

You dyke! 

The young car racer swallowed and automatically squeezed the smaller woman a little bit harder.

"I..." She took a deep breath while she looked into the sky's flames. "I don't want you to be called a dyke." Haruka finally said it in such a quite voice that Michiru almost missed the words. She raised her head and took the young car racer's hot face thoughtfully in her hands.

Ami had been right...

She forced Haruka successfully to look right into her eyes.

I want to drown in them. To be lost in this depth. And to be found again by my beautiful Michi-chan.

"Hey, I've been called worse things: Ignorant rich brat. Or insensible, brutal thief. I have to live with Sailor Moon's worried face after every battle. And I have to live with the fear who will be the next person. Maybe it'll be Ami or Rei. I went through hell as the youma got Usagi's heart and we didn't know if she had a talisman or not." Seriously shinning blue eyes looked determinedly into startled green ones. "And it drives me crazy to know that I could sacrifice you for the mission and to know at the same time that I am not able to. These are real problems, Ruka. Besides them calling a dyke is not so important. Hey, my sweet tomboy. We have to save the world. Maybe our next day will be our last one. Why should we let it go waste?"

"I just want you to be happy."

Michiru's smile grew wide as she heard her Ruka's silent declaration.

_That's the true reason why you didn't tell me, isn't it?_

And I've been to scared to break the silence. To scared of losing you. At the same time I didn't realize that you've been scared, too.

"Don't worry. I am happy as long as you're with me."

Haruka sighed but a honest smile appeared on her still blushed face.

"It's alike what I say, isn't it? I won't convince you." However, Haruka knew that she could never let her Michiru go. Not after she knew the truth.

"About what, Ruka? That we have no right to love each other? Forget it! No one has the right to decide about one's life or one's decision. And I've decided to love you a long time ago. Now that I know that you return my feelings I won't let you go again!" Michiru leaned forward and gave her young car racer a short kiss on the soft lips. "Accept it, Ruka. Maybe it's karma."

Haruka grinned and the evening wind played with her short blond hair. The tomboyish expression returned on her now happy shinning face.

"Hai, Michi-chan. You don't know what pact you just made. I am not as easy to handle as Mamoru." Michiru stared at her for some seconds, then she burst out into laughter.

"I am so lucky!" she laughed and covered Haruka's face with small kisses. "Cause I love you the way you are."

"But never regret it."

Michiru just kissed her senshi of the wind tenderly. Haruka pulled her young violinist closer and returned the sweet kiss with all her love.

You... 

Suddenly Haruka could forget the man's rude words. The free wind took them away like a light breeze and they died away in the rushes of the leaves that resembled the steady waves of the endless ocean.

Never regret it...

They both know that they never would.

Silently they made this promise.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	6. Epilogue: It Doesn't Matter

**epilogue: it doesn't matter**

Motionless she stood on the empty stage. Her eyes were closed and her fingers seemed to fly weightlessly over the instrument's strings. They never missed a single note. The soft melody filled the evening air. The music sounded as fantastic as it had done on every concert she had given since she had been eight years old. However, this time the melody's character had changed. Now it sounded was more tenderly. Happier. Really free...

Warm summer wind played with her sea green hair and the long blue evening dress she was wearing. Barefoot she stood on the huge stage and didn't seem to notice anything else than her own world of music.

Suddenly she opened her blue eyes and searched the lines of the audience in front of her. She smiled tenderly as she found the person she loved more than anyone else. The melody got a little bit dreamy and as she closed her eyes again she took her lover with her into her world. Into _their_ world.

"That's been really fantastic." Declared Ami and dried her wet cheeks. Normally she wasn't very touched by music but the last song had been the best love song she had ever heard. It showed so deep feelings: Real love. Unconditional trust.

"Hai." Admitted Haruka quietly as the audience applauded delightedly.

"Arigato, Haruka. It's nice of you to take me with you to her concert. You know I always wanted to hear her play."

The young car racer looked into the girl's happy face and picked up the bunch of flowers she bought this afternoon.

"We have to thank you that you really came."

Ami observed the flowers and her lips curved in a happy smile.

"Just go, Haruka. I want to risk a look at the music encyclopedia they sell over there." She pointed to the other side of the meadow and quickly disappeared between the busy people. "Just gimme five more minutes." Haruka could hear the girl and smiled because she knew that five minutes would never be enough for the small bookworm.

The young car racer turned away and went behind the stage. Michiru stood next to a table and put her violin carefully into it's case. Haruka waited until the instrument was save, then she embraced her lover from behind and swirled around with her. Michiru screamed surprised, then she started to laugh.

"Let me down. Ruka!" She said and her eyes shimmered happily.

"If that's your wish..." Haruka let the smaller senshi down, but instead of letting her go she pulled her nearer and gave her a long and loving kiss which Michiru returned immediately.

"Michi-chan, you played fantastic!" declared Haruka and blushed deeply. Although they declared their love to each other it was still very hard for the taller woman to show her feelings openly. Even to her lover.

"Arigato, Ruka. Did you like the last song?"

"Like? I _love_ it. It's been so..." Haruka searched helplessly for the right words. "It's been so touching. Ami even cried and I..." She sighed and smiled tenderly at the younger woman in her arms. "I've never heard such a happy melody from your violin before."

"It's my love song for you." Giggled Michiru, but her eyes were very serious. "I love you." Said the young violinist and stared straight into dark green eyes she loved so much. Haruka blushed even more. Then she kissed her Michiru again. It was still very hard for her to say those simple words. But when she kissed her the young violinist knew that her feelings were returned.

We don't need much words.

Michiru felt how Haruka pulled her closer and kissed her more passionately. Her lips curved in a smile as she pulled her Ruka closer.

I love you, Michi-chan.

I am so glad we've finally broken the silence.

Silently they held each other tight. Kissing. Loving. Knowing that the other one would be there forever. Even if forever would end tomorrow by an attack of a youma or by a victim who really owned one talisman.

They returned from her vacation two weeks ago. The few days up in the mountains were the best ones of their lives. And after they went home they realized that every day could be special if they made it so.

They were happy with each other. As happy as they had never been before.

"May I get an autograph...?" The voice died away as the old man came nearer and saw the kissing couple.

"Gomen. I didn't want to..." The man stopped as Haruka stepped back and turned toward the violin. But she hadn't been fast enough. He could see her female outlines, because the shirt of her tuxedo was very narrow. Too narrow to hide herself behind it.

Firstly he looked at the young car racer, then at the young violinist and Michiru could see how Haruka automatically clenched her fists.

"Do you want an autograph?" asked Michiru politely but at the same second she knew that the old man didn't want it any loner. He stared at her with the look Haruka hated so much.

"You pervert!" he declared and threw the CD he held in his trembling hands to the ground. It cracked as the cover broke.

Haruka spun around and stepped protectively before the smaller woman. Her eyes shone angrily and she didn't left any doubts that she would beat him if I tried to hurt her Michiru.

The man watched Haruka contemptuously. Then he turned around and went away very quickly.

For a while they both kept silent. Finally Michiru took the broken CD in her hands and looked at the crumbled picture showing a wide ocean. She drew it some years ago when she wanted to explain her feelings with her music, because she couldn't explain them by words. Until now.

"Gomen..." said Haruka finally and ran thoughtfully a trembling hand through her short blond hair.

"It doesn't matter, Ruka. Really." Replied Michiru and took the flowers that laid now on the table. "As long as we're together." Michiru smelled at the flowers and a smile appeared on her face. "As long as we're happy." She raised her head. "White roses. My favourite flowers. They're beautiful, Ruka."

Haruka turned around and leaned forward. For some moments she just looked deep into deep blue eyes she loved so much.

"You're beautiful." Again she took her smaller senshi into her strong arms. "Where did we stop?"

Michiru returned her grin and kissed away all of Haruka's doubts.

"Can...can we go home? ... now?" Ami stared with a red head down on her shoes. She was really embarrassed. "Be... because it's past ten and my mother is worried so soon when I am too late."

Blue and green eyes looked startled at the girl with the school uniform that held a thick book _tightly in her hands._

_What will she think about us?_

_Will we lose her because of our feelings?_

_Will we lose the friendship we've gained with her and the other girls?_

Ami finally raised her head and they watched each other in silence. The senshi of the water could feel the other women's uncertainty. At the same time she could feel their happiness. She thought of a quiet Michiru who sat in her kitchen that rainy night. Ami still saw the sad expression on the young violinist's face. And she thought of Haruka's reaction right after the fight with the rude man, although she the blonde hard to hide it.

Ami still heard the violin's soft melodies that touched her heart in such a deep way that she had to cry.

Because I suddenly felt so happy and didn't know why.

The young girl glanced from one woman to the other.

_They're still the same._

_Good friends._

And for the first time I know them they seem to be really happy.

Ami grabbed with each hand one of Haruka and one of Michiru and pulled them towards the silver Ferrari that was parked near the huge park - or the green oasis as the people of Tokyo called it.

"You're enviable." She whispered almost inaudible. Then she turned around and smiled confident in the other's still surprised faces. "Bye the way, I've found a really nice encyclopedia." She declared and giggled as she pointed at the thick book under her right arm.

A smile evolved on Michiru's still pale face.

"Just one?" she teased and could see the relieved expression in Haruka's green eyes, could hear her silent voice.

"Arigato, Ami."

Yes, it didn't matter.

As long as they had such understanding friends.

Haruka and Michiru looked each other deep into the eyes and smiled confidently.

Yes, they could live with the ignorant glances and bad shouting of old silly men. They could live with the fear of sacrificing one person for six millions. They could live with the knowledge that every day could be their last one.

_It doesn't matter._

_As long as we have each other._

Both watched Ami opening the book and showing some interesting pictures of old musicians to them. A happy expression was on her young face and her light blue eyes shone happily as she explained something laughingly.

As long as there's a ray of hope.

Finished writing: 21.June.2000

Corrected with the best of my knowledge and belief: June 2005.

I want to thank Alina for sending me looooong emails with suggestions and corrections of silly mistakes (I am too stupid for correct sentence order . '''). Domo arigatou for your support and your help. bows deeply

I also want to thank all readers who read this story and reviewed it. -.


End file.
